


The Vampire Khan

by Fifi, Saklani



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-06
Updated: 2014-02-14
Packaged: 2017-12-28 13:33:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 33,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/992566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fifi/pseuds/Fifi, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saklani/pseuds/Saklani
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In this AU, Khan escapes from Section 31, blows up the Kelvin Archive and attacks the meeting of captains and admirals (though Pike survives).  The Enterprise goes after him and captures, instead of kills, him.  From there, things go a little different because Khan is not an augment...he's a vampire.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, I admit it, we started this because vampires are sexy. And Khan as a vampire is doubly so. This is mostly an excuse for pron, but there will inevitably end up being some (if very little) plot, too.

James Kirk faced the man standing in his holding cell with a mixture of rage and bewilderment. Just a short time ago, he had seen this man tear through a squadron of Klingon soldiers like they were paper dolls. But now, he looked pale and near to keeling over. Somehow, his fair skin had gotten even more transparent, and the power in his form seemed to be disintegrating in front of Jim's eyes. Now, this man had killed a lot of people, but Jim couldn't just ignore that he seemed to be fading before his eyes.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" he demanded, trying to sound more angry than concerned. "You look like you're about to pass out."

"Thank you, Captain, for pretending to care," Khan bit out. He felt ill, violently so, and at the same time, he felt too weak to do anything about it. Kirk could open the bloody cell door, and he would probably make it as far as where Kirk stood now before he blacked out. He just wanted him to go _away_. 

"I don't want you to die or something on us," Jim said impatiently. "I'm not inhuman. No matter what happened to you before, I'm not going to mistreat you. You're a prisoner, but we'll make sure you get justice...not vengeance."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Khan said, barely suppressing a shiver. It wouldn't be long until he couldn't anymore, and then he would be a shuddering wreck in his cell. Wonderful. 

"After everything I've seen and heard lately, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt on this one," Jim said. "And what good will it do to let yourself collapse? I can see you getting weaker."

"I'm a vampire. It's been weeks since I've fed," Khan said, expression defiant. He wondered if Kirk would laugh. He had no idea how the human would react, to be honest.

Jim's mouth dropped open and then he shook his head. "A vampire? Seriously? Like, can't go out in the sunlight, feeds on the living, doesn't have a reflection...vampire?"

"I can go out in the sunlight, and I have a reflection," Khan said, rolling his eyes. "I prefer to feed off the willing, to be honest. Fear taints the blood."

"Well, that's just...weird," Jim said. "So, uh, you're hungry? I take it you drink blood. Any kind of blood? Synthetic? Something out of a replicator?"

"Synthetic lacks the same nutrients. I'll feel less hungry, but that's all it will do," Khan said. He was well and truly fucked. No one was going to hold out their arm through the little portal and tell him to bite down. Certainly no one would come into the cell with him.

"You won't be any better?" Jim asked and bit his lower lip. "How much do you need?"

"Not really. Imagine if you were starving, and all you could eat was candy. It has no nutritional value, but it fills you up for a time," Khan said, raking his fingers through his hair. "No more than someone would donate in a blood drive. Do they do those now? I suppose not."

"Uh, no, we don't usually need direct transfusions anymore," Jim said and studied Khan even closer. "Damn it." He could see how Khan continued to deteriorate. And his instincts told him that Khan wasn't lying and needed help right away. So, even though it was stupid and dangerous and yeah, STUPID, he found himself rolling up his sleeve. He moved the portal and opened it enough to stick his arm through. "You do anything except drink what you need, and I'll bring the entire ship down on you."

It was a stupid thing to do, Khan thought. He watched Kirk put his arm through and approached the glass slowly. "Are you sure?" he asked, swaying on his feet. 

"No, I'm not sure," Jim said, tense and shaking a little, "but I'm not going to just let you wither or whatever happens if you don't eat. So, do this before I change my mind." He stuck his arm in a bit further. 

Khan nodded, licking Kirk's wrist first. "Natural anesthetic," he explained before biting down as gently as he could. 

Jim shivered as he watched Khan's fangs (fuckinghellfangs!) pierce into his flesh, the hand on his opposite arm balling into a fist. His whole body shuddered at the bizarre sensation, even as he wondered at Khan showing him the kindness of numbing the area. "Fuck, that's so weird," he muttered, leaning against the partition.

Khan just raised an eyebrow as he drank. He took his time, carefully taking pull by pull. He wanted to make it last longer without taking too much. 

The sensations were strange, but not unpleasant, as Khan sucked from his arm. In fact, they were a bit more intimate than Jim wanted to credit, and he found himself trying to think unsexy thoughts to keep this from getting even weirder. "Are you doing this slow on purpose?" he asked in a slightly strained tone.

Khan didn't want to remove his fangs from Kirk's wrist to reply when he would have to bite down again and risk missing the exact punctures, so he merely squinted his eyes as if to ask 'what do you think?' True to his word, he stopped when he had his fill, nicking his tongue against one of his fangs and using the blood to heal the wounds as he drew back.

Jim removed his arm and shut the portal, leaning a little more against the partition. He stared at his arm in disbelief and then looked back up at Khan. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Uh, are you all right now?"

Khan nodded, dragging his hand across his lips to make sure he wasn't wearing blood like lipstick. "Better," he said. "Thank you."

"How long will it hold you for?" Jim asked. "And is there nothing else that can be a substitute at all? I mean, I know I asked before, but-" 

"A few days, and no, there isn't. Nothing else packs quite the nutritional punch," Khan said. 

"A few days," Jim muttered. "I'll have to tell Dr. McCoy about this. He should be able to arrange for your proper care." He stood and just stared at Khan for a long moment. "So, you're dead? Technically?"

"Technically speaking," Khan said. He had never given that much thought. It was just a part of who he was. 

"This just gets fucking weirder," Jim muttered and ran a hand through his hair. But his was a curious nature and discovering his 'guest' was a vampire just sparked that curiosity. "So, does all blood taste the same? I mean, all human blood?"

"No, not at all. Different blood types taste different, and there's a different flavor based on someone's diet," Khan said. 

"So, some taste better than others?" Jim asked. "Can you tell before you bite someone?"

"Yes, some taste better than others," Khan replied. "I can tell by their scent just as you know before the first bite whether or not you're going to enjoy your meal."

Jim felt a bit light-headed and shut his eyes for a moment to try and help the dizziness. "You don't seem to need too much blood to feel better," he murmured. "If you drank more, would it sustain you longer? I mean, that seems obvious, but your body must work in such different ways." 

"No more than eating like a pig instead of a reasonable amount would sustain you," Khan said. "I don't need much, but I need to eat frequently because of my metabolism. You should sit. Have something with sugar."

Jim grinned a little at the comparison and opened his eyes again. "Yeah. Sit." He slowly sank to the ground, folding his legs under him. "That caught up with me suddenly." He studied his wrist again, where there was not even a sign of a mark. "Your blood can heal..." 

"You might want to call for the doctor," Khan said, watching Kirk sit on the floor with a dazed expression. "Yes. My cells regenerate so rapidly that it staves off aging. It's nearly impossible to injure me severely."

Jim looked up at Khan and raised both eyebrows. "Bones'd kill me and then he'd find a way to kill you. Don't think he couldn't figure one out. He's pretty scary that way." He rubs at his face and then asks, "So, Marcus found you? And your family...nest? Is that what a vampire family is called?" He was thinking back to some of the lore he'd absorbed as a kid.

"He could try. Plenty have. I always revive," Khan said. "I prefer to think of them as my family, but I suppose nest or coven is correct. Not that anyone believes in them now."

"Well, I do," Jim said with a little glance at Khan. "And if you can't be killed, how did Marcus force you to help him?" He wanted the vampire (fuck, vampire, that was so weird) to come closer to talk, but Khan seemed always distant and removed. That made sense, he supposed, since he was rather different.

"Not everyone in my family is as hardy. I assume we could be killed if we were cut into bits and scattered in space. Marcus promised me he would find ways, and even the experiments required for him to find those ways... Would you allow that if he had your family?" Khan asked. 

"No, but I wouldn't have shot down a bunch of people who weren't related to the events, either," Jim said. "Of course, I guess your take on humans would be rather different, since we're also dinner."

"I was aiming for Marcus. I overshot," Khan admitted. He wasn't pleased with himself for it, but what could he do? 

"That was aiming?" Jim asked. "I'd hate to see you be careless." He pushed himself slowly back to his feet. "I need to get to the bridge. Marcus will be here soon, if you're right...but what am I going to do with you?"

"It's rather hard to shoot the correct target through highly reflective glass, even for someone with my eyesight," Khan said. He shrugged nonchalantly. "You've been...kind. You've done what you could. Although, you could always turn me over to Marcus."

Jim rolled his eyes and then said, "Whoa, bad idea. No, dumbass, I mean, I can't leave you in here. This is the first place he'll look for you. If I put you in Sickbay, will you promise to stay there, unless you have to get out to save your life or someone else's?"

"You're giving me permission to leave in order to save my life or someone else's?" Khan's head cocked to one side. Curious. The captain was very curious. 

"Well, I'm not going to order you to stay there, if that means you'll get killed...killed again? terminated? Whatever happens when your conscious status ends. Fuck, this is weird." Jim waved his hand in dismissal. "You wouldn't stay put if that was about to happen anyway."

"No, I wouldn't, but I find it very strange that you'll give me permission to flee," Khan admitted. He hadn't expected this treatment. He'd anticipated that he would be treated as he had by Marcus and his men, perhaps worse because of the attack. He wasn't certain. 

"Dude, I let you suck my blood," Jim said. "Why would I do that and then treat you badly?" He made a face at the vampire. "Anyway, your word that you'll stay there, please." He'd put security on the vampire, but figured that was futile unless Khan wanted to stay.

"I have no idea. Yes, you have my word." But Khan could be lying, and how would Kirk know? It was a strange thing to think the man trusted him, considering who he was.

Jim frowned and then sighed, "I really am as crazy as Bones says I am." He deactivated the shield. "Come on, we're going to Sick Bay. Please tell Bones about your crazy nutrition needs, so he can make sure you're taken care of." 

Khan watched, fascinated, but rather than trying to make a break for it, he calmly stepped out of his cell and followed Kirk. 

"So, how old are you?" Jim asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Much older than you. Nearly four hundred," Khan said. It was quite young for some vampires, really. By human standards, he shouldn't exist. 

"Yeah, that's a few years," Jim said. "Not older than some species we've met, though." He reached out to gesture Khan toward Sickbay, ignoring the startled looks of some of his crew. He kept on his most charming smile.

Khan kept his arms at his sides and didn't make any sudden gestures as he followed Kirk's lead. He had a respectable crew; some looked alarmed, but none of them had done anything more. "Are there many older species?"

"It's kind of annoying how many species live longer than humans," Jim said with a face. "And many of them for hundreds of our years." He paused in front of Sickbay and squared his shoulders. "Lion's den."

"Longer doesn't necessarily mean better, Captain," Khan said, pausing outside of Sickbay. "You had better go in first. I would rather not be shot at."

"Yeah, that's not what I'm afraid of," Jim said and stepped into Sick Bay with a friendly, "Hey, Bones!"

Dr. McCoy looked up from where he was analyzing Khan's blood and said, "Jim, that blood I collected from- what the fuck!?" He drew a hypospray, which he could wield like a deadly weapon. "Security to Sickbay!" he yelled to the computer.

Khan sighed heavily and glanced at Kirk with a look of mixed annoyance and amusement, lifting his hands and placing them on his head. "He knows I'm here, Dr. McCoy," he said.

He's out of his cornfed mind," Bones growled and kept the hypospray up even as Security rushed in.

"Calm down, everyone," Jim said with his best command voice. "I have reason to believe Khan here is in danger from Admiral Marcus, if I left him where he was."

"Admiral Marcus?" Bones demanded. "Why would-"

"Bridge to Captain Kirk," Sulu's calm voice intruded. "Proximity alert. Incoming ship."

"Because Marcus wants a war with the Klingons. It's what he's always wanted," Khan said. He tensed just slightly at the announcement. "He's already here. Go. I'll stay here and behave myself, as promised."

"Bones, monitor the situation on the bridge so Khan can hear. Khan, if you've got anything helpful to provide to this situation, I want to hear from you," Jim said. "At this point, I'll take any help I can get."

"His daughter is on board. Your new science officer. Her real name is Carol Marcus. I saw her briefly not long after I was brought on board. Her presence here may keep the admiral from destroying your ship," Khan suggested.

"See, helpful!" Jim exclaimed and clapped Khan on the right shoulder. "We'll make a real boy out of you yet! Commander Spock," he commed, "please have our new Science Officer shown to the bridge. I'll be there directly."

Khan raised an eyebrow and went to sit on one of the bio-beds out of the way while Kirk went off to see if he could reason with Marcus. Hopefully he would be able to. 

"Yes, Captain," Spock said. So he had discovered her secret somehow. He almost pitied her. Almost. He had Dr. Marcus commed to report to the bridge immediately.

"Report," Jim said, the moment his feet his the bridge. He headed for his chair and sat with a grateful sigh, looking out the viewscreen.

"The doctor is on her way. I surmise from your request you have discovered her true identity. May I ask how?" Spock inquired. "No communications from the ship thus far."

"Our guest, who is even stranger than I first thought," Jim said. "Just wait until I tell you everything about him." He scowled at the huge starship in front of them and said, "Well, we might as well break the ice. Lt. Uhura, hail the vessel."

"Stranger in what what?" Spock inquired. Of course he was curious. He was curious about most things he didn't know. He turned to watch Nyota hail the vessel and hoped the situation could be handled well.

"He's a vampire," Jim said, just before Admiral Marcus popped on the screen. "Admiral Marcus, what a surprise to see you here. I hope you're visiting to help us fix our warp drive." He beamed at him cheerfully.

Spock's eyes widened fractionally. A vampire. Vampires... should not exist. They were thought to be fictional, but he knew Jim would never make such a statement unless he'd seen proof. 

Marcus looked agitated. "Did you catch him?" he demanded.

"Admiral, we have indeed apprehended the criminal known as John Harrison," Jim said, "and intend to take him back to earth to face a trial for his crimes." 

Oh, hell. Khan would blab, and he'd be in a world of trouble for using a three hundred year old vampire as a weapon. "He's a dangerous man, Kirk. Let me take him back to earth while the engineers work on your warp drive."

"Yes, Admiral, I learned that he's a dangerous man," Jim said and leaned forward. "Especially since he's not exactly a man anymore, is he? Being kind of dead and all that." 

"Oh, hell. You've been talking to him," Marcus sighed. "Look, will you just hand him over? We'll patch your ship up, and we can all go home."

"And what will you do with him?" Jim asked softly, even as the bridge doors opened and Carol Marcus entered. He signaled for Sulu to make sure the shields were up.

"Put him in isolation. He's carrying an active virus, one he can transmit at will," Marcus said, going ramrod straight when he saw Carol. "What are you doing there?"

"Hi, Dad," Carol said, glancing nervously at the captain. "I wanted to see what was in those cases. You've always involved me in your research."

"Transmit at will?" Jim asked. "You mean by biting people?" He looked at his arm and mused, "I wonder when I'm going to change, then." His eyes darted to Marcus, a cold smile on his face, before he turned to Carol. "Cases, Dr. Marcus? You mean the torpedoes?"

"You let him bite you... You crazy son of a bitch," Marcus said, eyes wide. He should have known Kirk of all people couldn't be trusted not to do something completely insane.

"Yes, the torpedoes," Carol said. But they weren't just torpedoes. She wondered if her father knew.

"According to Khan," Jim said conversationally to both Marcuses, "there are beings in those torpedoes. Beings you were going to have me kill along with Khan, when I shot him with those torpedoes." He turned in his chair to look at Marcus. "Just who here is crazy?" 

"Damnit, Kirk... Why'd you have to meddle?" Marcus asked. "Carol, tell them to lower their shields. I'll beam you aboard, and we'll talk."

Carol looked rather vampiric herself. She thought she might be sick. "I don't understand. What is the point of this?"

"Yes, do order me to lower my shields," Jim said with a roll of his eyes. "I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid." He turned to Carol. "Your father wants to lead Starfleet from a position of absolute power. And to do that, he's willing to start a war. In fact, he's eager to start one."

"Is that true? Dad..." Carol's lower lip wobbled, but she kept up a brave face as much as she possibly could. People had said for years he was a war-monger; she'd struggled not to believe the rumors.

"What the hell do you expect me to do? Sit around and wait until they attack first?" the admiral asked.

"Well, yes," Jim said. "Or maybe not be a jackass and decide to secretly start one, beginning by enslaving and murdering people, including a whole starship?" He threw up his arms. "Just an idea."

"You think you're funny, but you're really not," Marcus growled. 

"I might have laughed if he weren't addressing my own father," Carol said. "Just bloody do it. If you don't care about the casualties, fire on the ship with me on it."

"We'd prefer it if you didn't, Admiral," Jim said with a scowl at Carol. "We're just going to mosey on back to Earth with our prisoner and your daughter and let Starfleet know what's going on. if you have any sense, you'll take your pretty ship and run."

"Dad, listen to him. I don't want to watch you die," Carol said.

Marcus was many things, but senseless wasn't one of them. He could cut his losses now. He had money stashed away. His only regret, apart from the obvious, was never seeing his daughter again. "Take care of yourself, kiddo," he said, ending the communication. 

Jim watched as the Vengeance flew away from them at top warp and then ordered, "Maximum warp back to Earth, Mr. Sulu. Lt. Uhura, please contact Starfleet, specifically Admiral Pike, and let them know we have the most sensitive news for them. And that Admiral Marcus will not be heard from again...probably and hopefully, ever." He turned in his chair and said, "And Mr. Spock, please take the conn. I need to see our 'guest.'" 

"Of course, Captain," Spock said, waiting for Jim to vacate his chair. He was not the type to comfort others, but he felt a pang of sympathy for Carol Marcus and very nearly settled a hand on her shoulder. He knew what it was like to lose a parent, only her father had left her by choice.

Jim also nodded once at Carol Marcus and said, "I'm sorry about your father. But this fate is better than anything that might have occurred through battle. I'll make sure Starfleet knows you were not a party to your father's actions." 

"Thank you, Captain Kirk," Carol said. She waited until Commander Spock excused her before retreating to her quarters so she could cry her eyes out in private.

Jim strode into the lift and then into the halls and through to Sickbay. "You saw?" he asked Khan, even as he moved to stand in front of the vampire.

"For a moment, I thought he might fire on the ship," Khan said. He was surprised Marcus cared enough for his daughter to flee.

"Well, it was a chance I had to take," Jim said and studied Khan. "What are we going to do with you and your family? Given your unusual needs and all."

Khan looked perplexed. Strange that Kirk seemed so concerned for his family. "I've no idea what Starfleet will permit," he said. There was evidence mounted against Marcus, and he'd fled. That didn't mean Khan would be forgiven.

"Khan, your family is...different," Jim said. "Do they require any special handling? Like, don't leave them in the sun? Anything weird like that?" He glanced over at Bones, who was obviously listening, since he regarded their 'guests' as patients.

"No, we're immune to sunlight, we have no garlic allergies, and driving a stake into our hearts will only piss us off," Khan said. "We do need blood."

"And only live donors will do," Jim said. "Admiral Marcus said you can transmit your 'virus' at will. Is that true?"

"There is a certain way of biting that delivers the...virus," Khan said with a nod. "You weren't infected. I was careful."

"I know. I...trust you about that," Jim said. "They're safe to stay in their tubes for now, then? I mean, we should check them all over to make sure the tubes are functioning correctly, but otherwise, they can wait awhile longer?"

"Yes, otherwise they can wait awhile long," Khan said. He was disappointed, of course, but he understood they couldn't have a ship full of vampires running about when they had everything else to deal with.

"I'll have Bones and Scotty check them over and make sure none of the tubes got damaged in all the moving around," Jim said and then frowned a little at Khan. "Technically, you're a prisoner, and frankly, deserve to face justice for some of the stuff you did... however, I don't really want to lock you up again."

"Thank you," Khan said. He fully expected that he would need to be returned to his cell, possibly the brig. That was not what Kirk said, and it took him by surprise. "I have proven that I can be left in Sickbay without attempting to escape."

"And I'm sure you'd like to sit on a hard biobed for the rest of your stay," Jim said with a shake of his head. He blew out a harsh breath. "Come on. I need to ask you about a million questions anyway, for my report on this debacle." He looked at his best friend. "Bones, will you please check over Khan's family and make sure their cryotubes are functioning properly. Scotty will assist you with any engineering needs."

Bones nodded, but was scowling a little bit at Khan. "Just promise me you'll take Security with you and...him."

"Am I to come with you, then?" Khan asked curiously. He was ready to follow Kirk and answer his questions if it meant he wasn't going to be subject to the company of Bones McCoy. He didn't care for the way the man looked at him. 

"Yeah, come on, I'll show you the bridge and then you can fill me in on everything Marcus did to you and your family," Jim said. "I'm afraid you'll have to repeat yourself a few times, but this will be the initial report." He waved Security to follow them. "Don't worry, Bones, I'll be as safe as one can with a vampire."

"Vampire," Bones muttered, clearly disgusted by the idea, but went back to examining Khan's blood, which was fascinating.

Khan raised an eyebrow at Kirk's nonchalant attitude. He seemed to have no fear of him, and that was...very odd, but Khan found it admirable. "That's fine," he said, letting Kirk lead him out. 

Jim couldn't help smiling at the wary Security trailing after him and Khan. They looked very, very nervous at how closely their captain walked next to the vampire. "So, do you mind if I ask you personal questions?"

"No, but I may choose not to answer them," Khan said. Giving Kirk permission to ask didn't mean he would answer. It was really that simple. Maybe he would. Maybe not. 

"That's fair enough," Jim agreed, "but I need you to tell me the truth about Admiral Marcus. If you want your actions understood as well as they can be, you need to honest about that." He gave Khan a sideways glance.

"I have no qualms about telling the truth in that regard," Khan said. The admiral had used him for personal gain. Whatever Khan's prior bad acts, that didn't change what the admiral had done, and he was the one who would be on trial.

Jim nodded once and said, "Thank you. This is for your benefit, and for Marcus' trial, if and when we ever catch him. He's going to be a menace out there in that giant ship you designed for him." He paused and looked at Khan. "A vampire with advanced technological knowledge...my universe has definitely gotten weirder."

"No, he won't be," Khan said. "Not if he intends to live out the rest of his days. Becoming a menace will only draw our attention, which is what the admiral doesn't want unless he decides to court death." 

"I hope you're right," Jim said and stepped out on to the Bridge. He gestured Khan in front of him toward his Ready Room. "If you please."

Khan nodded and fell into step ahead of Kirk. He was a smart man; Khan meant him no harm, for now, but he knew better than to have a vampire walk behind him.

Jim followed after Khan and then took his place at his desk. "All right, I'm going to be recording this conversation. I'd prefer to have your permission to do so."

Khan took a seat and nodded. "You have my permission," he said. It was better to have everything logged for future reference.

Jim nodded and said, "Thank you, Mr. Singh." He opened the log with all the usual and then asked Khan, "Please tell me how you found yourself in the hands of Admiral Marcus, Mr. Singh." 

"I woke up in his hands," Khan said. "Long ago, I had found a remote location for myself and my crew, and put us in cryostasis. Marcus happened upon us, and he woke me up."

Jim frowned a little and asked, "Did he tell you or give you any indication of if his finding of your family was accidental or deliberate?" Intentions meant a lot and if Khan's family had been targeted deliberately, it would explain Khan's subsequent actions even more.

"He suspected he'd found something valuable when scans of the planet's surface revealed our cryo chambers, but I don't believe he was searching for us initially," Khan said. 

"How did he realize what you were?" Jim asked. "Vampires isn't the first thing I'd think of when finding some lost souls. Of course, that may change now..."

"I'd been in cryo for so long that when I woke, I was immediately hungry. I refrained from attacking immediately, but when a vampire is hungry, their eyes change. He knew when he saw me," Khan explained. 

"And they managed to subdue you because you were weakened by hunger and with your family?" Jim asked. "Did Marcus start you working for him immediately?"

Khan nodded. It was rather embarrassing, but he couldn't be at top form all the time. "After a battery of tests, both physical and psychological," Khan said. "Once he determined who I was and that I could be of use to him, he was like a giddy schoolboy."

"Does being a vampire enhance your learning abilities?" Jim asked. "You wouldn't seem to be a logical choice to assist with weapons development, given how long you were in stasis, so how did he know what to do with you?"

"My intelligence has been dubbed unquantifiable. I'm uncertain whether being a vampire has enhanced by capabilities or if I would have been this clever as a human, but my own weapons were advanced for their time. That, coupled with how quickly I caught on, made me perfect for his scheme," Khan said.

"How did he feed you?" Jim asked. "Did he force people to let you drink from them?" It was a highly intimate or horrifying thing, being fed on, so that would be another strike against Marcus, if he had indeed coerced other Starfleet officers.

"Punishment for his officers," Khan said. "He likened it to the old-fashioned demerit-or-corporal punishment choice made by boarding school students centuries ago. They could be reprimanded on record, or they could feed me. You would be surprised how relieved they seemed not to have a permanent mark in their file."

"That's barbaric," Jim said with a shudder, thinking of what a sociopath Admiral Marcus really was. "Did he make sure you were properly nourished or keep you somewhat weakened?"

"He kept me healthy enough to do his bidding. I've not received _proper_ nutrition since I woke," Khan said. He needed more than what Kirk had generously donated, but he was unlikely to find anybody else who would be willing to do the same.

Jim paused the recording and asked, "What does that mean? What would it take for you to receive proper nutrition?"

"More than I've received," Khan said. "At least two pints, but finding a willing donor... That's not possible. I'd need two. A human only produces so much blood."

"Two pints how often?" Jim asked, mind whirling through possibilities. He would volunteer, if that's what it took to keep Khan healthy, but two pints was a lot.

"Every week for me to regain my full health," Khan said. "Every two, and I would be fairly well off. I was subsisting off a pint a month." 

"Yeah, you'd almost need more than two people to drink that much blood," Jim said with a scowl. He flicked back on the recorder and asked, "Did Marcus know your nutritional needs and that he was basically starving you slowly? At least, that's how I interpret that."

"Almost," Khan agreed. "So long as I receive a full pint a week, the rest of my needs can be supplemented." He paused, thinking it over, and finally shrugged. "He knew I needed more than he permitted. Whether he knew how much more, I can't say."

"Khan, a normal human was only allowed to donate a pint of blood a month, maybe two at most. A pint a week would be bad for any person's health," Jim said. "However, the point is, Marcus knew he was keeping you weak, even with the creative punishment for his officers. Did he harm you in other ways?"

"I would clearly not expect to be fed from the same person," Khan said. "There were tests. Nerve conduction studies. They were painful, but I don't know if you would consider them torture."

"If they were painful, it was a form of torture," Jim said grimly. "They didn't test your limits in other ways? How quickly you healed from wounds? How much you pain you can endure, things like that?" He doubted very much that Marcus didn't test his trapped vampire in as many ways as he could design. "How about your family?" 

"Yes," Khan said. "That was part of their testing. They treated me very much as an experiment, as something to be studied. I wasn't a person to them."

"And it was those experiences that helped led you to conclude that Marcus would destroy your people after you were caught trying to save them?" Jim asked softly, sympathy for Khan in his voice and visage.

"Yes. I had no reason to believe he would spare them," Khan said. 

"Why did you target the archive?" Jim asked, trying to keep his voice steady now. There was something very alluring about Khan, but he was also the reason a lot of good people were dead. 

"Because it wasn't really an archive. I wanted to draw attention to its true purpose," Khan said. 

"Will you please, for the record, tell me what its true purpose was," Jim said with quiet force.

"An installation for top secret weapons and intelligence development. The archive was there, of course, but beneath the surface was much more," Khan said. 

"Was this where Admiral Marcus had you working, as well?" Jim asked, wondering how many of the people Khan had blown up he had known...worked with. But of course, a vampire fed on people. How much empathy and compassion could he work up for food?

"Under observation, yes. I wasn't permitted in the facility alone," Khan said. "I knew a few of the people who died. Not well, but I would have preferred it if some of them had survived."

"So, his actions against you were enough to incite you to kill people you not only held no animosity toward, but might have preferred to live?" Jim asked. He frowned a little, wondering how Khan and Marcus could live with their choices. Or, in Khan's case, be undead with his.

"In order to prevent interstellar war, yes," Khan said. "There were maybe a dozen people there I would have spared, kind people who offered me water and spoke to me when they saw me as if I were a comrade. How many billions might have died if Marcus had succeeded?"

"The lesser of two evils," Jim said and couldn't help but look dubious. "So, you were trying to what, give yourself an opportunity to kill Marcus, by bombing the archive, knowing the meeting of captains and admirals would be called right after, as a means of preventing a war? I saw you at the controls of that ship, shooting down unarmed people, myself nearly included. I have a hard time thinking selfless motivations were driving you. More like revenge."

"I was motivated chiefly by revenge," Khan acknowledged. "But I did hope to get rid of Marcus then and there. It would all have been over, my need for revenge, his plans for war. It was the easiest way to accomplish both goals."

"And the rest of us were collateral damage," Jim said softly. "When you failed to kill Marcus, when I stopped you, did you know he would come after you? And how he would come after you?"

"I anticipated it, yes," Khan said. "I am sorry innocent people were killed. That matters very little in the grand scheme of things, I know."

Jim sighed, turned off the recording and said, "At least you can show some signs of remorse. That may help your case, along with what Admiral Marcus did to you. But I admit, I'm worried about you...about the Enterprise, too. Admiral Marcus' network has to be extensive, both in and outside of Starfleet. And they may come after us all for this." 

"I would imagine so," Khan said with a nod. "I recommend setting your computer experts to work on intercepting any records of communications to and from the Vengeance. That may be the only way to determine how deep this rabbit hole goes."

Jim turned back on the recorder and said, "Please tell me what you know about the network Admiral Marcus had within and without Starfleet. Any names or contacts would be of assistance."

Khan nodded and recited the names he'd heard, everything that had been mentioned in his presence. He talked until his throat was dry and he needed a sip of water to moisten it, and even then, he kept going.

"Fuck, that's a lot of names," Jim said as Khan finally petered out and then flushed a little. "Computer, delete last." He grinned a little as the computer complied, paused the recording and then looked over Khan. "You're looking a bit peaked again...more peaked...peakeder...you're defying my genius." He shook his head. "Do you need, uh, more to drink? Eat? Suck? Whatever."

"Yes, unfortunately," Khan said. "It would be appreciated, but I can do without." He was used to it by now. Perhaps Marcus had taught him a lesson in patience. 

Jim swallowed and asked, "Can I give you more blood without harming myself? Ending up in Sickbay, that is."

"Not safely, no, but I do appreciate the offer," Khan said. 

"Oh," Jim said and felt a bit disappointed. He turned off the recording device again and asked, "How long will you be good for before the need becomes pressing?"

Kirk sounded disappointed; Khan hid his smile, terribly amused by this development. "Tomorrow, and it should be safe for you to donate a bit," he said. 

"That's not very long," Jim said. "How much would you need tomorrow to be well for longer? I'll see what I can do about getting you enough."

Khan tipped his head in acknowledgment. He knew it wasn't long, but he'd been getting inadequate nutrition for months now. "Thank you, Captain."

"An amount?" Jim asked gently. "Just so I make sure you're taken care of."

"Another pint would be appreciated," Khan said. "But another half would be fine."

"I am sure Bones can figure out how to get you a pint," James said. "I bet you prefer live donors, though." He frowned and looked at Khan. "Drinking from Marcus' not-exactly-willing officers...did that-" he paused at the word "-uh, suck? I was going to say suck."

"Yes, but I'll take what I can get," Khan said. He chuckled softly, amused in spite of himself. "It did suck, yes."

Jim made a face at him when he laughed, but his eyes were lit up with his own amusement. "Well, I don't think Bones will allow you any other live donors," he said. 

"Then I'll have to make do with what I'm given," Khan said. "You've been kinder to me than Marcus."

"Well, I'm still willing, when I'm able," Jim said, "even if it is really weird. Also, that's not much of a compliment, considering all the things Marcus did to you and yours. I'd have to work hard to be less kind."

"I thank you, Captain, for your generosity, and I didn't mean for that to sound like a backhanded compliment," Khan said. 

Jim shrugged a little and said, "I'm used to those." He turned back on the recording and asked, "Is there anything additional you'd like to say in defense of your actions against Starfleet?"

"Pity," Khan said. "You should only be used to genuine compliments." He was unsure of what he could say in his defense, so he said, "I acted only with the safety of my crew in mind, and when I thought they were lost to me, out of grief."

"And what would you like to see done with your family and yourself now?" Jim asked, wondering about the first statement.

"To retire somewhere out of the way," Khan said. "We would keep to ourselves if we could. It's not safe otherwise."

"But how would you eat?" Jim asked softly. "You'd all starve and that doesn't look fun or pleasant. How did you feed in the past?"

"We could subsist on synthetic blood and nutritional supplements," Khan said. "We did as all predators do -- we preyed upon the weak and defenseless."

Jim looked into his eyes and shivered a little at the cold there. "So, you killed people," he said. "That's not going to help your case at all." He narrowed his gaze, everything sharpening. "You said synthetic blood wasn't enough...did you fucking trick me into feeding you?" His hand twitched for his phaser, wondering if that would even work.

"Not always. We preferred to keep them alive as donors," Khan said. "I said with nutritional supplements, the synthetic variety would be enough. It takes a week for the supplemental nutrient levels to build up. No, I didn't trick you. I recommend you set that to kill me. Stunning me at low levels won't work."

"So Bones can make you some synthetic blood, too," Jim said, easing his hand away from the phaser and relaxing a little again. He didn't like to be used, and a lot of people thought him perfect fodder for their own aims. "I'll make sure he gets on that, so you can have what you need when we reach Earth."

"Very well," Khan said, inclining his head. "I was malnourished. Waiting a week would have left me next to defenseless. I would prefer not to be in that situation again."

"No, I appreciate that...now," Jim said. "I hope you'll make allowances for my not having the easiest time just trusting you," Jim said. "I've seen what you can do, how you can kill without hesitation. And I don't understand much about what you are yet. Still, I want to learn and not judge. There are all kinds of species."

"I find it remarkable that you want to trust me at all," Khan said. "Knowing what I am would put off most people, but not you. How brave you are..."

"I'm an explorer and a Starfleet captain," Jim said with a hint or pride. "We're going to chart unknown territory and meet a lot of strange and different peoples. And some of them are going to do things that will at first blush appear a million times worse than what you do. If I can't learn not to judge, them I'm never going to make much of a captain. I consider this a test. A challenge." He smirked, since he loved challenges.

"I think you'll do an admirable job. You have so far," Khan said. He smiled faintly, pleased with his luck. James Kirk was far more open-minded than most.

"You don't know me," Jim said, thinking of what a fuck-up he'd been most of his life. "But I hope you're right." He sighed and stretched a little. "I'll get you assigned a guest quarters, though I'm afraid Commander Spock will insist on a lock and guards." 

"I know more than you think. I am very good at reading people," Khan said. "Understood. Being permitted guest quarters is so much better than having to sit in a cell."

Jim twitched a little and glanced at Khan curiously. "Is that something related to being a vampire or just to being you?"

"To being me," Khan said. "I'm their leader for a reason. They won't be able to read your body language as I do."

"Well, there's some comfort in that," Jim muttered and flicked through the available guest quarters on his console, finally choosing one near his own rooms. 

"I should hope so," Khan said. He hoped Kirk would open up to him. He was an interesting man. 

"Is there anything else special you need as a vampire?" Jim asked. "Or anything we need to know about that might harm you?"

"Nothing I can think of," Khan said. "We're immune to sunlight and crosses."

"Crosses?" Jim asked and then grinned. "Not too much worry there. We're not that religious anymore. How about garlic?"

"Delicious," Khan said with a smile. "I love garlic."

"So, I should have Bones spike the synthetic blood with garlic," Jim teased, not even thinking about the fact that making fun of a vampire might not be a good idea. It feels natural.

Khan actually laughed and said, "By all means. It always has a horrible aftertaste. The garlic should help mask it."

Jim wrinkled his nose and asked, "All blood has a horrible aftertaste or just synthetic?"

"The synthetic. Some blood does, though, particularly if someone is ill," Khan explained.

"So, human blood tastes better," Jim said. "I wonder if Bones could improve the flavor of the synthetic..." He paused and then said in a good imitation of his friend, "Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a chef!"

"Yes, it does," Khan said. He chuckled at Kirk's antics; his Bones impersonation was fairly spot on.

"That's still so weird to me," Jim admitted and then stood. "There will be more questions later, Mr, Singh, but for now, I'll show you to your quarters."

"Thank you, Captain Kirk," Khan said, motioning for the man to lead the way. He could use some settling down in private quarters.

Jim stood and led the way, having already requested a rotating pair of security officers to stand guard outside the chosen quarters. He nodded at the team that joined them right outside his ready room and kept going, feeling his spine straighten and feeling a bit amused at himself when he realized he was trying to look his best in front of Khan. Nothing like another alpha male to make you want to be sharp.

Khan looked amused. Kirk had righted his posture and was standing at attention. He looked very appealing, but Khan wouldn't say that aloud. He followed Kirk, watching his form appreciatively. 

They traveled to the guest quarters that were closest to the captain's quarters, a rather generous gesture. Jim stopped outside the door and said, "I hope you find this satisfactory, Mr. Singh. I'm afraid we'll have to lock you in and minimize the systems you can access, but I hope you find everything else comfortable." He paused and looked into those cool eyes. "When I'm done with my shift, would you like me to escort you to check on your people?"

"This is most satisfactory, thank you," Khan said. He stepped into the room, a brow arching at the question. Kirk never stopped surprising him. "I would appreciate that."

Jim knew what it was like to worry about your crew and said, "I'll comm you before I return. If you need anything, please comm myself or Commander Spock." He nodded and headed back out, not exhaling with relief until he was back alone in the turbolift. 

"I will, Captain," Khan said, tipping his head to the man. He had a room to himself. He was going to damn well enjoy it, too.


	2. Chapter 2

Jim returned to the bridge and filed his report on Khan's interview, flagging it for Spock's immediate attention. He wanted to hear from his First Officer about their 'guest.' He was very curious about his opinions on vampires and Admiral Marcus.

Spock began to read the instant the flagged report arrived. He glanced over at the captain, eyes wide. Khan was a vampire. A vampire. And Admiral Marcus... It was almost too much for him to believe.

Jim nodded once at Spock's reaction, knowing how hard it must be hitting his crewmate to get such a giveaway from a Vulcan. He gestured him over and turned back toward the viewscreen.

Spock rose, approaching Jim steadily. He didn't bound over or show his eagerness too much, but he was horribly curious. "Yes, Captain?"

"Commander," Jim said in a lazy tone, "I'd be interested in knowing what your opinion is of our current situation." He paused and then grinned slowly. "And vampires."

"My opinion of our current situation is that Admiral Marcus should be brought to justice swiftly," Spock said without hesitation. "My opinion on vampires is less decisive."

"Well, we're not equipped to go chasing after him in that ship," Jim said, "but between Khan's testimony and all we saw of his actions, you're right." He paused and glanced at his wrist, before saying, "But Khan's a vampire all right. I've seen and felt the proof."

"Felt? Captain, I sincerely hope you do not mean you permitted him to feed from you," Spock said. He couldn't believe Jim had taken such a risk. 

"There were extenuating circumstances," Jim said with his patented grin. "But this is going to be quite a weird tale we have to tell Command. And how are they going to treat a bunch of frozen vampires?"

"What extenuating circumstances were enough to provoke you to risk your life?" Spock inquired. Sometimes Jim drove him absolutely batty. He wanted to throttle the man. "I have no idea. There is no protocol for dealing with frozen vampires."

"He was...well, fading before my eyes is the best term," Jim said. "I didn't have time to do anything else. And I could have called you and the rest of the Enterprise down on him in an instant, if he'd actually hurt me."

"That does not change the fact that what you did was reckless, and you could easily have died," Spock said. 

"I know," Jim said, "but I couldn't let him die. And that's what was happening. Marcus starved him, Spock. I followed my gut. You know I'm going to do that."

Spock would have groaned aloud, possibly even face-palmed, if he acted on his human impulses. "Yes, I know you will always act on the advice of your digestive track."

Jim made a face at him that soon morphed into a grin. "But I was right about it. I surprised Khan and helped him see that we're nothing like Marcus. He may even trust us a little."

"May," Spock repeated. "He may trust you, at the very least. I suppose that is potentially beneficial." 

"Considering his strength and intelligence, we want him on our side," Jim said. "And since he does need blood to survive, I'd prefer he not need to attack people to get it."

"I agree with you on that point," Spock said. "How do you intend to provide him with blood?"

"I've let Bones know about his needs. I'm sure he'll be able to come up with something, but if he doesn't before Khan needs to feed again, I'll be asking for volunteers to donate blood. I won't expect anyone to be as crazy as I am and let him bite them, of course."

"Given my increased stamina and healing capabilities, I feel compelled to volunteer my services," Spock said. 

"Huh," Jim said. "I didn't think to ask him if it was only human blood he needed. I'll have to find out if you can effectively donate. I appreciate the willingness, Mr. Spock."

"You are most welcome," Spock said, inclining his head to Jim. "You should not donate again so soon." He would make himself ill.

Jim chuckled and said, "Khan actually told me the same thing. And yes, I did offer."

Spock refrained from rolling his eyes. Of course Jim would offer. Jim was the most intelligent idiot Spock had ever met. "That would be unwise," he said.

"Yeah, he told me it was," Jim said. "It's not like I know how much blood a vampire needs to drink! Well, I know now, but I didn't know when I offered...again."

Spock looked somewhat surprised. Khan could have lied; he could have killed Jim from the start. Why hadn't he? "I find this most disconcerting," he said.

"Yeah, all right, I agree with that," Jim said. "This entire thing has been enough to throw us all a little off our games. Admiral Marcus betraying Starfleet. Us nearly starting a war with the Klingons. Discovering beings in the torpedoes. Vampires. Seriously, we should all be allowed to just wake up from this soon."

"It does feel quite surreal," Spock said. "But we know this is no dream, strange though the truth may be."

"And we have to deal with it," Jim said with a frown, "including coming up with recommendations for what to do with Khan's family. Their unusual needs aside, we have no idea what condition they may be in after that many years in cryotubes."

"As these circumstances are unorthodox at best, perhaps you would be the one most capable of devising a solution," Spock said. "My advice will likely be dismissed."

"Not by me it won't," Jim said with a frown. "Look, I'm planning to meet with Khan after my shift to look at the cryotubes that have his people. How about I keep an open comm link, so you can hear things? I'll ask his opinion on how best to look after him and his people now."

"I would be amenable to such a plan," Spock said. It was still not a great idea in his book, but it was much better than what might have happened. 

"Cool," Jim said and nodded once. He looked thoughtful for a moment and then grinned again, all cockiness. "It is pretty cool, isn't it? Vampires, I mean."

"I fail to see what vampires have to do with the atmospheric temperature," Spock said, but there was a note in his voice that suggested he was teasing, like when he asked Pike which attitude he meant. 

"Well, his body temperature is definitely lower than that of a normal human," Jim said with a face at Spock. He leaned back in his chair and turned to face the viewscreen again. "And I have to admit, I'm kind of looking forward to talking to him again."

"As one would expect from a being whose blood is stagnant," Spock said. "Are you certain that is wise?"

"Wise?" Jim asked. "Maybe not, but he's interesting and I want to learn more. I'm...curious." He looked back over his shoulder and grinned. 

"Perhaps it would be best if you had someone there with you when you spoke," Spock suggested. 

"You'll be listening in, remember?" Jim asked. "You can have a transporter lock on my the whole time or a squadron of security guards right outside, ready to rescue me."

Spock nodded once, his expression making it plain how little he liked the idea. He wanted Jim to be safe, both physically and emotionally. 

"Spock, you've gotta let me have a little fun," Jim said. "Or else I'll become old before my time."

"I fail to see how such is biologically possible," Spock said. He wished Jim's idea of fun didn't involve playing with a vampire. 

"I'd tell you not to be so literal, but I won't waste my breath," Jim said and keyed his chronometer. "Oh look, shift's almost over."

"And I would tell you to be more cautious, but I would be, to use your vernacular, wasting my breath," Spock said.

"Indeed," Jim said and folded his hands in an imitation of Spock. "I find him too fascinating to resist."

"Are you mocking me, Captain?" Spock asked, thinking of the old cliche that imitation was the sincerest form of flattery. 

Jim grinned and said, "Not at all, Commander. I wouldn't do that." He hopped up as the shift ended and said, "I'll open the link in a moment. I suggest you go somewhere private."

Spock inclined his head and rose from his station. "Be careful," he cautioned. 

"I'm always careful," Jim said with a jaunty wink and then took the turbolift down. He turned on his communicator and tested it once with Spock, before pinging Khan's door.

"I hear you," Spock said. He hoped this went well. He wasn't sure what would happen if it didn't. 

"Enter," Khan said. Kirk could override his locks, and he saw no reason to get up. 

Jim walked into the vampire's quarters and said, "I thought maybe you'd prefer to just come on out. Unless you've changed your mind about seeing your crew."

"I thought you might have changed your mind," Khan said. It was better not to get one's hopes up, after all, so he hadn't. He rose to his feet, waiting to follow Kirk. 

"I wouldn't do that to you," Jim said with a frown. "I know you must be eager to see them and make sure they're all right. Bones says that the cryotubes appear to be functioning correctly, but you know the technology and your people better." 

Khan said nothing, but he thought it should be obvious that he couldn't trust Kirk simply because the man said he wouldn't do something. "Yes, thank you. I would like to see them."

Jim stared into Khan's face and then said, "All right, fine. Come on. Don't do anything too jumpy because I don't want anyone to think you're about to attack."

"I don't plan to," Khan said, following Kirk from his quarters. He was too eager to see his crew than to risk that. 

Jim could almost feel Khan's eagerness, despite the cool exterior, and moved along swiftly, not wanting to keep him waiting. After all, he understood worrying about your crew. As they reached the door, where two additional security guards stood, he ordered the whole detail, "Please wait out here. I'll call you if I have need of you." He opened the door and stepped in and then quickly moved aside to let Khan look his fill unobstructed. "Please, go ahead." 

Khan was surprised when the captain had his security detail wait outside. He wasn't going to risk having this taken from him by making any foolish moves. He approached the tubes, checking each display. 

"Given your rather unusual state, what do you check to make sure your people are well?" Jim asked, following after him at what he hoped was a safe distance.

"Brain activity," Khan explained, pointing out the patterns he was looking for. 

Jim moved to look at what Khan referred to and said, "I'll be damned. Look at that." He began to examine the other cryotubes. "Are they all well?"

"From what I've seen thus far," Khan said. He worked as quickly as possible, concerned that, after so long, one of them might have become disconnected or damaged. 

Jim stood back and watched him again, noting how worried he was. "You didn't have a chance to check them over before you put them in the torpedoes, did you?"

"No. If I had stopped long, I would have been discovered before I had time to secret them all inside and lock them in," Khan said. 

"But he caught you anyway," Jim said and bit his lower lip. "How did he do that?"

"He'd kept me on the brink of starvation for weeks. I was exhausted, my guard was down, and he managed to get all the way to the door of the lab before I heard him," Khan said, lips twisting bitterly. 

Jim frowned and said, "Well, if you are overly hungry, you just have to tell me. We'll find a way to get you fed. Oh hey, that reminds me, can you drink anything except human blood?"

"I can. It tastes... bland, but it will do," Khan said. As the saying went, beggars couldn't be choosers. 

"All other bloods taste bland?" Jim asked. "That seems pretty limiting. Are they all good for you, though? I mean...some non-humans are very different."

"Some are, yes," Khan said. "Amphibian blood isn't all that good for me. It makes me sluggish."

"Amphibian blood?" Jim made a face. "You tried eating a frog?"

"Desperate times," Khan said with a graceful shrug. "What was I going to do?"

"I mean alien blood. Like Vulcan. Can you drink that?" Jim asked.

"I can, yes. Are you volunteering your Vulcan?" Khan teased. 

"He volunteered himself," Jim said seriously. "He'd be able to donate more than us mere humans."

"Then I accept his generosity," Khan said. That was surprising. He wasn't certain what he'd expected, but this was not it. 

"That's so weird," Jim said. "I mean that his blood is useful to you. Does that mean all blood contains enough of the same elements to be nutricious because vampires would have, uh, evolved for eating humans. But I'll let Bones know and then it'll be even easier to get enough for you. But no amphibian species. Reptiles? Could a Gorn donate?" 

"Humanoid species have similar enough blood that they are able to donate. I've not been able to study why, though I would like to," Khan said. He had several theories. 

"Vampire science," Jim said with a smile and watched him continue his rounds. "So, everyone come through all right?"

"Yes," Khan said, relief evident in his voice. They'd made it. Against the odds, his people were all safe. 

Jim smiled even wider, relieved that people innocent of any recent crimes had not suffered for it. "I'm glad. Do they need anything right now to keep them that way?"

"No, not right now," Khan said. "But... thank you for asking."

"Do you want to spend a little more time with them?" Jim asked and strolled up to him, lightly brushing against his side. He was a tactile man and didn't feel there was any reason not to be with this new person, even if he was a vampire. 

"I... would appreciate that," Khan said. He was flummoxed by Kirk's generosity and kindness toward him. He would wonder if the man were flirting under different circumstances.

Jim nodded and began his own tour of the cryotubes, looking at each of the occupants with quiet curiosity. "Are you all the same age?" he asked. "Or are some of you much older?"

"Some are older than I am, well-respected by our people," Khan said. He was their leader because of his fierceness rather than his age. 

Jim said, "You all saw a lot of changes in your existence, huh? I guess that makes this not too hard to accept. I mean, the differences from the time you were last awake."

"Awesome?" Khan nearly smiled. Kirk was certainly handling this better than he'd expected. "It does make it easier. It's less jarring when one is familiar with the rate at which the world changes."

"Do you like being a vampire?" Jim asked, as he completed his own rounds. He sat near the door and watched Khan.

"I like the longevity. I like being durable. I like that I can see the world change," Khan said. "What I don't like is that I'm dependent on blood."

"Do you not enjoy feeding?" Jim asked and rubbed his wrist a little. He flashed Khan a grin, the Kirk lack of shame showing through. "I have to admit...I found it kind of stimulating."

"Oh, no, I do enjoy it. I merely loathe being reliant on something when I've no control over my food supply," Khan explained. He raised an eyebrow. "Stimulating?"

"Fine, it was arousing," Jim said with a flash of tongue at Khan. "And that was just you biting my wrist. Is that intentional? Lull your victims into enjoying it?"

"I tried to make it as pleasant as possible without giving it sexual undertones," Khan said. "It can be quite enjoyable when done properly."

"Done properly?" Jim asked with a light in his eyes. "What does that mean exactly?" He was looking at Khan directly, completely unabashed. It just wasn't his nature.

"There is a way of biting someone that can be intensely pleasurable," Khan said. Kirk was insatiably curious. Khan liked that trait. 

Jim licked his lips and said, "That sounds like fun. I'd like to try that sometime." He was, after all, very hedonistic. He snorted and glanced back over his shoulder, as if expecting someone to come in the door. "Bones and Spock would kill me if they could hear me talking like this to you..."

"Would you? That could be arranged," Khan said. He smiled, a faint quirk of the lips. "Then why are you, if you know the ship's chief doctor and your own first officer won't approve?"

"I trust things they don't understand," Jim said. "I know you're dangerous and have plenty of reasons to hate Starfleet and her officers, but I don't think you'll hurt me or my crew without just cause. And I don't plan to give you just cause. I want to make sure justice is done for everyone, including you. And your family. They haven't done anything."

Khan's brow furrowed, a look of puzzlement on his face. "You trust that a vampire will not harm you or your crew because he's not been given just cause..." Jim Kirk was a remarkably strange man. How could he trust Khan? It made no sense.

"No, I trust that _you_ won't," Jim said and raised his head to look challengingly at Khan. "Just like I trusted you when I let you feed off me. I guess it wasn't wise, but I believed that it was the right choice. And I still believe that."

Khan nodded, perplexed by Jim's strange faith in him. "You're an odd one, but you are right about one thing," he said. "I have no desire to harm you."

Jim's eyes sparkled as he grinned suddenly at Khan. "Do you have other desires for me instead?" 

Khan glanced away, almost ashamed of himself. "I would be lying if I said otherwise," he admitted. 

"Really?" Jim asked and preened just a little, wanting to look good in front of the vampire. "I don't mind that at all." 

"You aren't unappealing," Khan said, and that was as much as Kirk was going to get out of him now. He'd already said too much.

"I'm completely sexy," Jim countered with a feisty grin. "And I bet my blood tastes pretty damn good, too. I want you to have more of it."

"It's unwise to provoke me, Captain," Khan warned. The offer made him want more, but it wasn't safe, and he found Kirk too interesting to risk his life right now.

"You mean, you might take my blood now, despite it being dangerous?" Jim asked. "You want me that much, huh?" He grinned and nodded. "All right. I'll be patient." Still, he filed away that power for later.

"If you taunt me enough," Khan said. Strange to think Kirk wanted it almost as much as he did.

"I didn't know I was taunting. Not seriously anyway," Jim said and held up his hands in an innocent gesture. "Certainly not for me, anyway."

"I don't think it would be a good idea for you to show me your version of serious taunting right now," Khan said.

Jim lowered his eyes and grinned to himself. "Guess not. Want to see the rest of my ship? The guards'll have to go with us, but it'll be worth the added company."

Khan thought knowing the ship well might one day be beneficial. Why, he didn't yet know, but he nodded. "Lead the way. I never turn down a tour of a starship."

"Have you ever had a tour of a starship?" Jim asked with a face at him. "I hope not. I wanted  
to be the one who popped that cherry."

"Marcus', but the two can't be compared," Khan said. "You have the pleasure of...popping that cherry, as you say."

Jim grinned and said, "You can tease, too. I like it." He clapped his hands together. "I don't care what Marcus showed you. There's not ship can compare to the Enterprise."

Khan smiled, tipping his head as he followed. "It's certainly more visually appealing," he said. 

"More than just that," Jim said, leading Khan into the corridor and gesturing the guards to follow them. Except for the two posted at the doors, of course. "The Enterprise has heart and spirit. She's my girl."

"You speak very fondly of her," Khan said. It was a lovely ship -- rather, she was, as he had a feeling Kirk would be horribly offended if he called his ship an 'it.'

"She's been faithful to me," Jim said, "and I'm going to be the same to her." He trailed a hand along the wall and then flashed a grin at Khan. "You ever had something you felt the same way for?"

"My family," Khan said. That was the only thing he had the same affinity for. He couldn't grasp the concept of feeling the same way for a ship.

"Oh. Yeah. That's different, though. I care a lot for my crew, too," Jim said. "I think the same way you do for your family. They're mine, after all. And the Enterprise is the one who carries us safely through adventures."

"I've never had the same attachment to a ship," Khan said. He wasn't sure it was such a good idea. Ships could be destroyed. It was something else to lose. 

"Or a place?" Jim asked. "Somewhere that was home?" He took Khan first to Engineering, admiring the machinery that kept the Enterprise running even as he showed it off for Khan. He knew the other man understood the workings of the ship, being a genius himself.

"Not anymore," Khan said, and he had never been attached to a place so much as he had the idea of creating a place where his people would be safe. Studying the machinery, he nodded. It was a fine ship.

"But you did have a place?" Jim asked, as he paused beside the warp core. He looked at the vampire with bright, curious eyes.

"We did once, but that was long ago, and it's unlikely we will ever have a place of our own again," Khan said, a note of sorrow in his tone. 

"I wouldn't agree with that," Jim said, stopping and turning to face Khan. "Yeah, you're going to have to answer for what you've done, but there are extenuating circumstances and from what you've told me, you live forever. Starfleet's not going to leave your family in their cryotubes forever, if there's no reason to. And there are a lot of places you could make a home, including completely uninhabited planets."

"Do you believe they will sentence me as they would a human, or will they lock me away for five hundred years because I'll live that long?" Khan asked. That was the question. What would they do because they could get away with it?

"Hey, despite everything Marcus taught you to the contrary, we're not barbaric and cruel to be cruel," Jim said. "And we're used to dealing with long-lived folks now. They won't lock you up and throw away the key unless you give them some reason to."

Khan nodded, hoping Kirk didn't think too highly of Starfleet for no reason. "I should hope not," he said. 

Jim glanced at him and asked, "Is it just the experience with Starfleet that's made you jaded? Because this is a pretty high level of distrust I'm getting."

"Everywhere we've gone, we've been met with fear and suspicion. I've learned to respond in kind," Khan said. 

"Yeah, I can understand that people may have been afraid of you," Jim said. "You'd probably instinctively fear me if I ate vampires." He flashed a toothy grin at Khan. "I'm not afraid of you."

Khan chuckled softly. "Yes, I suppose I would fear you if you ate vampires," he said. "No? You aren't afraid of me at all?"

"I guess to some small degree," Jim said. "I don't trust you completely, but fear you? No. I think you have your own code of honor that you follow. And unless I cross you, my crew and I are safe." 

"You're very perceptive, then. Most people fear me automatically even before they know what I am," Khan said. 

"Well, again, as a prey item, I understand that mistrust," Jim said. "And when I stuck my arm through the shield and invited you to drink, I was pretty scared. But you were...kind about it, really. And you didn't hurt me. So, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt."

"You have fewer trust issues than I would have expected given your background," Khan said. "I don't intend to harm you or your crew unless it becomes necessary to do so in order to protect my own. Everybody else would say, 'yes, of course he'll say anything to gain your trust,' and yet you believe me. Why?"

"You might call it a matter of faith," Jim said with a little grin. "I trust my instincts, even when everyone else says I'm wrong. I usually turn out right in the end."

Khan inclined his head. "Fair enough. Intuition can be a powerful motivator," he said.

"As you say. I might not have fed you, if I didn't feel somehow that I was safe," Jim said. "And I was scared then. But you licked my arm and made sure I didn't feel any pain."

"I considered not doing so. I thought perhaps I should teach you a lesson about offering yourself so willingly to dangerous men," Khan admitted. "Then I thought better of it."

"You would have hurt me for a lesson?" Jim asked and then made a face at him. "That would have been needlessly unkind. But I don't think it would have taught me not to trust. Just not to like you."

"As I said, I thought better of it. Someone as thrill-seeking as you are would undoubtedly not learn the lesson I attempted to teach," Khan said.

"Oh, really, that's why," Jim said and gave him a look combined with disappointment and disbelief. "And decent instincts had nothing to do with it?" 

"My instincts are weighted with logic more often than not," Khan said. He was capable of losing his temper and wreaking havoc, but when he was in his rational mind, he tried not to follow his instincts unless they made sense to him.

Jim stuck out his tongue childishly at Khan in response and then led him to the next deck. "You'll get along great with my Vulcan, then."

Khan chuckled softly and shook his head. "I doubt that. He's a scientist. He'll look at me as an experiment," he said.

"That's true," Jim acknowledged. "His eyes kind of glazed over when he discovered what you are. I'm sure he has a million questions about how your physiology works. I just want to know how the pleasure thing works."

Khan chuckled. "You have very different areas of interest. Perhaps your Vulcan would be better able to explain how it works. Intent has to do with it. Just as some species of snake can control whether or not they inject venom through a bite, we control whether it hurts or feels pleasurable, but I'm not certain how," he said.

Jim licked his lips a little at the idea of being able to control pleasure that way and said, "I still want a first-hand demonstration of that." He wiggled his eyebrows playfully. 

"I could give you a demonstration without taking more than a mouthful of blood," Khan said. If Kirk was so eager, he wouldn't want to wait. 

"Problem is, then I'll want more," Jim said. "Especially if you're good at it. And I bet you're good at it." He thought of Spock listening with an internal grin. He walked into the Astrology lab and grinned at the projected stars. "I love this place." 

"I try to be good at it," Khan said. He glanced up at the stars, a soft smile curving his lips. "It's beautiful."

"Even though we fly through space, I still like to come here and see all the places left to explore," Jim said. "Everywhere we might go. Endless possibilities." He moved to stand close to the vampire and asked, "Have you ever had a human lover?"

"Uncharted territory is so appealing because it's unknown. So much to see you've never seen," Khan agreed. "No. Humans are very fragile."

"Well, I guess you'll have a long time to explore the unknown, if you go that path," Jim said and lightly brushed against Khan. "Not that fragile."

"Yes, provided I'm free to do so," Khan said. He raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Kirk. What in the world was he doing? "You are in comparison to me."

"That may be," Jim said, "but that hasn't stop me from having relations with a lot of species that are a lot stronger than I am. It's part of the fun." He strolled out of the lab and in to the hall again.

"Part of the thrill. You're with someone who could seriously damage you and have to trust that they won't," Khan said, following Kirk out. 

"So there's no thrill for you then," Jim said and glanced over his shoulder at Khan. "It's too easy for you." He darted a grin over his shoulder. "I promise that I may be easy to get in bed, but I'm challenging in all other ways."

"I never said there was no thrill in it for me, did I?" Khan asked. He wasn't entirely certain what to make of Jim Kirk. He was a very unusual man.

Jim glanced back over his shoulder and said, "You say a lot without saying it. Want to see the botanical garden? It's pretty amazing."

"And you thought I said there would be no thrill. Perhaps with most humans," Khan allowed. "Lead the way. I've always liked gardens."

"Ah, I'm not most humans," Jim said and walked over to his favorite part of all of the plants, a cacti garden. There were varieties from all over the planets of the Federation. He looked at them and said, "I like cacti. They're survivors."

"No, I suppose not," Khan said, turning to study the cacti. "You feel a kinship with them. Prickly on the outside, but for one who knows how to handle it properly, a cactus will yield nutrients."

Jim snickered and said, "Nutrients. You would think of it that way." He gave him an arch look over his shoulder. "And I suppose you know how to handle a cactus properly."

"Old habit," Khan admitted. "I could learn. I've never had cause to handle one.

"Maybe you'll find cause now" Jim said invitingly, eyes half-lidded. "I also like the warmth. It's comforting."

"I'm afraid warmth is something I cannot offer," Khan said. He was... room temperature at best. Normally a good deal cooler.

"I meant in here," Jim said with a roll of his eyes. "But yeah, that's take a little getting used to. Gorn are cold, too. They have to wear this special thermal monitor to help them keep at the right temperature. Was strange as Hell when I discovered they were like twenty degrees colder then a human. Unpleasant surprise at first."

"I know what you meant. I thought we were going to carry on using the cactus as a metaphor for you, Captain," Khan said. He raised an eyebrow. Naturally Kirk would have added a Gorn to his list of conquests.

Jim grinned and wandered over to Khan, looking over his form with a connoisseur's expert eyes. "So, are we going to use the metaphor of a popsicle for you then?"

Khan's forehead wrinkled, and he shook his head. "I don't think so. They melt and drip on the carpet," he said, almost teasing.

"I don't mind a little dripping," Jim said with a ridiculous leer.

Khan raised an eyebrow. "That was quite perverse of you," he teased. 

"Yeah, I'm being unprofessional," Jim admitted and sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I guess I don't want to dwell on what we're going to face in a few hours. Unraveling Marcus' network. Having to deal with that kind of deception and betrayal. And then working out how to do you and your family justice." He silently cut off the transmission to Spock, thinking his friend had heard enough.

"I don't care about that. You can be unprofessional. It was just... a bit of a shock, shall we say," Khan said. "I'm not looking forward to it, either."

"You'll get used to me," Jim said. "At least, I hope you will." He flashed a grin for the vampire and then asked, "Want to keep looking at the plants?"

"I could get used to you," Khan said. "What else is there to see?"

"The tropical section is nice. Our navigator, Mr. Sulu, is an amateur botanist, by which I mean that he can make anything grow. We grow our own cacao. It's awesome...I'm allergic." Jim pouted spectacularly.

"You're allergic to... everything that comes from the cacao plant?" Khan asked, looking horrified. He didn't gain any nutrients from it, but he loved the taste of chocolate. 

"I'm allergic to a lot of things," Jim said ruefully and didn't mention that since Tarsus IV, he'd also had a lot of trouble eating at all. Many foods that once he'd enjoyed now curdled his stomach. Bones more than anyone else knew how hard it was to feed the Enterprise's captain.

"That's horrible. One would have thought there would be preventative medication for allergies by now," Khan remarked. Or that they would have been bred out. 

"I wish," Jim said with a sigh. "My immune system hates everything." He walked into the tropical 'greenhouse' section and sighed at the warmth. "Bones is especially fond of this area, when he's missing the Georgia summers." 

"Do you have an autoimmune disease?" Khan asked. It was extremely personal, but since Kirk was volunteering information anyway. "I like this area. I might actually be slightly warm to the touch if I stayed here."

"I have a weird system," Jim said with a little shrug. "I was born in space under odd circumstances, including some high radiation readings. Strange kinds of radiation." 

"Ah. That could very well explain things," Khan said. He marveled at how willingly Jim volunteered such personal information.

"I probably should have allowed the scientists a chance to research all the changes to me," Jim confessed, "but I shared the opinion of my mother when I was a kid, that there was enough stigma about being the Kelvin baby."

"Perhaps your Mister Spock could study you. He would be less concerned with the notoriety it could bring and more concerned with your welfare," Khan suggested. 

"Oh no," Jim groaned. "He barely wants to let me outside as it is. If he had his way, I'd sit in my chair all day and never do anything interesting. If he found out about all the oddities of my immune system, he'd put me in a bubble."

Khan chuckled. "I could run tests, provided I had access to the equipment," he said. He wasn't a Starfleet science officer, but knew a good deal about the field.

"You are ambitious," Jim said and then asked, "Would you want to be a scientist, given the option?" 

"I suppose that would be a good career choice for me," Khan said. "I would enjoy the constant challenge."

"For your enhanced intelligence?" Jim asked. "Your intelligence was enhanced with the rest of you, right?"

"Yes, it was. And I was far from stupid to begin with," Khan said, humble as always.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure you were a drooling idiot," Jim said. "You have the look." He walked over the area of carnivorous plants and looked them over with a grin.

Khan pulled a face and followed Kirk to the carnivorous plants, studying them appraisingly. "Such interesting specimens, these," he remarked.

Jim felt Khan beside him and turned his head to look at Khan through slitted eyes. "Nobody ever insults you, do they?"

"No, they don't," Khan said. He had the sort of presence that spoke of a swift retribution should anyone think they could make fun of him.

"Better get used to it," Jim said with a fearless grin at Khan. "I make fun of people I like." He walked away from the carnivorous plants and to the aquatics, which he loved because the botanists and zoologists had gotten together to design a display with plants and fish and other aquatic animals. 

"I... see." Khan was very puzzled. Kirk hardly knew him, understood what he was, and yet, liked him. He was fascinated by the aquatic section, the way the fish swam around the plants. It was peaceful to watch.

"You don't," Jim said. "I can't explain, but tend to like people, or not, as soon as I meet them. Bones was my best friend the instant he sat next to me on a shuttle and proclaimed he might throw up on me." 

Khan's eyebrow twitched, as if it wanted to plant itself in the center of his forehead the way Spock's did. "He said he might vomit on you, and you liked him? You're very odd, Captain Kirk."

"You wanted to suck my blood, and I liked you, too," Jim shot back, amused. "But yes, I'm different and unashamed." 

"Why? What was it about me that made you like me?" Khan inquired. That was what he simply couldn't fathom.

Jim tilted his face and studied Khan intently, before saying, "I think it's that you want to protect your family so much. You've done terrible things, but I understand how you got there."

Khan nodded. That was a reasonable explanation. "Thank you for seeing it that way," he said.

"You still did some evil things," Jim said, "and I'm angry at you for that. But...I can see how you were pushed to do things that I don't think are exactly in your nature."

"You seem quite confident that those things are not in my nature," Khan remarked, vexed by Kirk's faith in him. 

"You want me to think otherwise?" Jim asked with a sideways look at Khan. He wandered away from the display and to the collection of Sulu's orchids. His navigator was much in love with the flowers and doted on them like children.

"Not particularly," Khan said. "I want you to think what comes naturally to you, without my influence or anyone else's." 

"And then question my sanity?" Jim asked with a smirk. He wandered around under the orchids, smiling softly. 

"Something you appear to be used to, Captain," Khan said. He leaned in to smell the orchids. Fresh flowers in deep space. How delightful. 

"I'd throw something at you, if there was anything to hand," Jim said casually and watched him enjoy the flowers. "You like roses?"

"That would be rude and uncalled for, and you would miss," Khan said. "I like most flowers, particularly orchids and irises."

"Oh, _and_ I'd miss, huh?" Jim demanded with a smirk. "Like that wasn't what you wanted to point out at all first?" He snorted and headed for the rose gardens, wondering where there might be irises hidden about.

"You would miss not because of faulty aim but because I would dodge," Khan pointed out, trailing after him. The captain was... strangely endearing. 

"Yes, I know what you meant," Jim said with a little grin over his shoulder. He walked with a slightly exaggerated swagger, showing off his ass and strong shoulders. He felt playful and a little bit teasing toward the vampire, testing his effect. 

Khan watched appreciatively. If Kirk was going to show off his body, he saw no reason why he shouldn't enjoy the view. 

Jim felt Khan's eyes on him, even as he nonchalantly headed into the small rose garden. He knew a lot of couples snuck here for a quiet rendezvous during quiet shifts and didn't blame them. The place had a romantic aura, with the sweet scent of the flowers and the general solitude. You could easily hide between a few bushes.

Khan's attention turned briefly from the captain to the roses. He paused to breathe in their scent, a small smile curving his lips. They smelled incredible, filling the small space with fragrance.

"Let me guess, vampires have green thumbs, too," Jim teased. "You can make things grow, as well as suck the life out of them." He turned his full, bright blue gaze to Khan, amusement all over him.

"Horticulture is a science. I have a good head for science," Khan said. It boiled down to basic chemistry, making sure the soil was right and maintaining the proper conditions for growth.

Jim reached out and poked Khan, hard, in the stomach. "You, Sir, are an egotistical bastard."

Khan glanced down at his stomach and raised an eyebrow. "And you have no sense of personal space," he replied, but made no move to deny Kirk's statement or even step back.

Jim glanced up at Khan and just grinned, unrepentant about his actions. "I'm just proving that I'm not afraid of you, big bad vampire." He flashed his own, blunt, teeth, and headed for the next section of plants. 

"You've proven it," Khan said with a smile. Kirk did have a brilliant smile. Good teeth. He trailed after Kirk, staying closer than he ordinarily would have to test his reaction.

"Do vampires usually have relationships with humans? I don't just mean like romantic or sexual ones, but friendships or business relations, too," Jim asked.

"Frequently, yes. Humans are still the most populous species on several planets. It would be foolish not to form business relationships with them," Khan said.

"So, just business and food," Jim said with a little quirk of his eyebrows at Khan. "Come on. You can't tell me a sexy beast like you didn't have a few sordid affairs with the locals."

"Never a human. A few humanoid species, but humans are very fragile in comparison," Khan said. "You've taken quite the interest in my sex life, Captain."

"Are you offended?" Jim asked with amusement. "Cause I don't think you're offended. And I'm curious about a lot of things about you, but yes, I'm rather fond of sex."

"I never said I was. I merely find it curious," Khan said. "So because you're fond of sex, you're curious about my sex life...or you want to have sex with me."

"Well, I wouldn't say no, but it doesn't sound like you're interested in humans that way," Jim said with a sigh. "Your loss."

"I never said I had no interest. I said humans are fragile. I prefer not to fuck corpses," Khan pointed out. "Is it?"

"Really? You'd fuck me to death?" Jim made a face at him. "I saw how careful you were drinking my blood. I don't believe you couldn't be just as careful at other times."

"There are risks involved. I would be as careful as possible, but I could slip," Khan explained, wondering if Kirk was willing to take that risk.

"I've had sex with aliens who're probably stronger than you, if not inclined to eat me," Jim said with a grin.

"I'm not currently inclined to eat you," Khan said with a smile. 

"Then I'm not inclined to worry about your hurting me during sex," Jim said with a wink. "I don't really believe you don't have as good a control of your strength as say, a Klingon. I'd expect you to be better."

"I am better," Khan said, realizing he'd been baited into that. It was a dare. Kirk had a lot of nerve.

Jim bit back another cheeky grin and said, "Well, the way you're carrying on about not being able not to hurt humans and such, I was beginning to wonder." He wandered into the scent garden, as Sulu called the area where the chefs grew herbs used in cooking. "Damn, I wish I wasn't allergic to everything."

Khan frowned. He didn't think he should feel the sharp desire to prove the captain wrong, but there it was, plain as day. He wanted to prove him wrong, to make him forget about that Gorn and Klingons and Vulcans and whatever other bloody species he'd had in the past. "You wouldn't be if you were a vampire," he said.

"Yeah, but then eating them wouldn't be very necessary, either," Jim said and then paused. "That wasn't an offer, was it?" He gave Khan a curious look over his shoulder. 

"It could be," Khan said. Kirk was interesting. Khan wanted to see what sort of vampire he would make, but wouldn't force it on him. He had seen what happened to those who were forcibly turned. 

"And you say I'm impulsive," Jim said with a thoughtful expression. "Or are you trying to use that to your advantage? Think I'd say yes?" He affected a suspicious look at Khan, but still did not look at all worried. "You are a devious vampire, Mr. Singh." 

"I did wonder," Khan admitted. "You seem so curious about what it's like to be a vampire. I thought perhaps you would leap at the chance to experience it for yourself."

"So, we're both impulsive," Jim said with a grin. "We both take risks. I'm willing to risk my life to let you suck my blood and have sex with me, and you're willing to risk an eternity of my turning out to be insufferable by turning me into a vampire." He nodded once and said, "We're going to get along well." He wandered over to the basil and picked a leaf to nibble on, glad that was allowed. "So you can eat other food? It just doesn't do anything for you?"

"I can see how an eternity with you could be insufferable," Khan said, lips quirking into a smile as he plucked a basil leaf and popped it into his mouth. "I can eat anything I like. It merely has no nutritional value for me."

"Yeah, I bet you'd be a real picnic all the time, too," Jim shot right back. "Are the flavors of normal foods enhanced?"

Khan smirked. This was... enjoyable. He liked teasing Kirk. "I should think so. All of my other senses are," he said.

Jim blinked and then said, "All of them. I bet that's not always pleasant. Nasty smells must drive you crazy...er." He headed through the herb garden until he came to a section for alien plants.

"Yes, although not all smells that humans find nasty register the same way because of how we detect scents," Khan said, trailing after the captain.

"Really?" Jim asked. "That's so weird. And to quote Mr. Spock, fascinating." He gestured to a Romulan herb he was allergic to and couldn't eat. "That is apparently one of the spiciest herbs known. Would that register to you? You're more sensitive, so would spiciness be even worse for you then for a human?" 

Khan shrugged and plucked a pod from one of the plants, popping it into his mouth. There was heat, a rich, smoky flavor, and an odd bitterness that came from the soil. "Polymodal nociceptors -- pain receptors -- are responsible for the burning sensation that accompanies eating spicy food. The chemical components of certain spices trick the receptors into responding as if they've been subject to extreme heat, hence the sweating and burning. Vampires heal quickly. By the time the fibers have been stimulated, the pain is gone," Khan said.

"Sexy and smart," Jim said, watching him eat the pod. "So, is it good?" He eyed the pod with a quiet kind of longing. "I'd asphyxiate in about two minutes if I ate one." 

"I try," Khan said with a smirk. He poked at the plant and shrugged. "You aren't missing much. The soil imparts a bitter flavor I'm not fond of."

"So, do you have a sweet tooth? Sweet fangs?" Jim peered closer at him. "May I see your fangs again? Please?" He widened his eyes imploringly.

"Sweet fangs?" Khan chuckled. Why not? There was no reason not to humor Kirk. He extended his fangs and bared his teeth to allow the man to look his fill.

Jim reached out and then paused, pulling back his hand and looking sheepish. "May I touch?" he asked politely. "Those are some _sweet_ fangs."

Khan nodded. "Go ahead," he said. Kirk's curiosity was intriguing.

Jim gently traced the fangs, making sure not to touch the sharp points. He didn't want to cut himself and tease the vampire with his blood. "And they just retract when you want them to?" he asked softly.

"Yes. It's as easily controlled as opening and closing your mouth for us," Khan said, speaking carefully so as not to risk cutting Kirk's finger.

"Although, I bet they sometimes emerge in moments of anger and passion, too, don't they?" Jim asked and moved his hand to trace his mouth, before pulling away. "Sorry, I know I'm handsy."

Khan suppressed a shudder. It had been hundreds of years since he'd had this much contact from anyone who didn't wish him ill. Despite the cryosleep, he was painfully aware of it. "Sometimes, yes, but I try not to use them," he said. "Handsy. To put it mildly."

"Well, I did manage to ask," Jim said with a smile, "but it's only fair to offer to let you be handsy or nosy in return. If you want."

Khan nodded, reaching up to touch Kirk's lips the way he'd just done. He was allowed to be handsy in return, Kirk had said. 

Jim licked at his finger with a quick flick at his tongue and then said, "My teeth aren't as impressive as yours." He bared them playfully for the vampire.

"Are you trying to provoke me, Captain Kirk?" It was working. Having Kirk lick Khan's finger made him wonder what his mouth would feel like elsewhere.

"Provoke you?" Jim asked with an amused gaze. "I thought you warned me away from it, in case you can't control yourself." And yes, that was a taunt.

Khan backed Kirk into the corner, leaning down to barely graze his throat with blunt teeth. "Does that feel like I can't control myself?"

Jim chuckled and lightly pinched Khan's right arm. "It feels like you maybe aren't quite able to control your response to some teasing." He tilted up his throat to allow Khan to explore to his satisfaction, though.

"That was a controlled response," Khan said, but wasn't able to resist the temptation. He licked at Kirk's pulse point, enjoying the way it thrummed beneath his mouth. It would be so easy to bite down.

Jim hummed lightly so that Khan could feel the rumble through his tongue. "Now, you're showing restraint. I'm sorry I can't let you drink more safely. I'd be happy to share otherwise."

"You would, wouldn't you?" It wasn't really a question since Khan already knew the answer. Kirk's daring was a wondrous thing.

"If you really needed it, I'd let you drink despite the danger," Jim said and slid a hand into Khan's hair, petting gently.

"Even when it means risking your health? Why?" Khan asked, turning his lips away from that spot to alleviate the temptation, at least somewhat.

'If it would save you, I'd endanger myself," Jim said. "It's part of my nature." He turned his head to brush his mouth over the nearest piece of Khan's face. "Do vampires kiss?"

"Why? You hardly know me, and what you do know is...not the best assessment of my character." Khan thought he was mad. He was utterly, barking mad. In place of an answer, he nudged Kirk's face so he could capture his lips.

Jim moaned softly into the kiss and threaded both hands into his hair, cupping his head and encouraging him to deepen the touch. "This seems like a nice assessment of your character," he said with a little nip to Khan's lower lip, testing again. "I told you, I make decisions fast about friends. If I'm wrong, you're not going to suffer for it, are you?"

Khan deepened the kiss, licking into Kirk's mouth. "This is a much better assessment of my character," he murmured. "No, I wouldn't suffer. You would."

Jim leaned back against the wall Khan had pushed him into, hands still around the back of his head. "If we were anywhere else, I'd probably let you fuck me now." He flashed his teeth again. "But I'm not that crazy."

Khan nosed at his jaw. "I'm crazy enough, but if you would prefer to go elsewhere, we can..."

"Oh, really?" Jim asked and considered him. "All right. My quarters. I'm off duty." He strolled causally for the main doors back to the corridors.

Khan blinked, surprised by the invitation, but he followed Kirk anyway. If the man was interested, he would be a fool to say no.


	3. Chapter 3

When they got to Jim's quarters, he locked the door behind them and then turned to face Khan, looking him over like a seven-course buffet to a starving man. Being captain did seriously reduce his chances of sex, which he needed like other men needed air. Not that he was a sex addict. No. He just liked the closeness without the commitment. And he was committed to his crew, so they were off limits.

"I suppose you like to top," he said with a cheeky grin.

"I have never done anything else," Khan admitted. He closed the distance between them and pulled Kirk in for a kiss. He'd thoroughly enjoyed that earlier and wanted more of it.

Jim went where Khan directed and kissed back, open-mouthed and sure-tongued. He pressed his groin against Khan's and rubbed deliciously. "I don't object to that at all." His lips tugged into a grin, even as he gave control of the kiss to Khan. "You do this often, master vampire?"

Khan all but purred into Kirk's mouth, pressing a hand to the small of his back to keep their groins pressed together. "Not as often as I would like," he said, playfully nibbling at Kirk's lower lip.

"Not really an answer," Jim said and nudged Khan's cheek with his nose. He expertly toed off his boots and slid a hand under Khan's tunic. "Want to see what you're getting?" he asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"It was an answer. It simply was not the answer you wanted," Khan said. He preferred not to talk about past conquests in the bedroom lest he find himself terribly jealous. He stepped back so he could better see Kirk and nodded. "Show me."

Jim paused and looked at Khan for a puzzled second. "The answer I wanted?" he asked.

"A number. A recounting of everyone I've been with, perhaps. To hear how often I fucked near-strangers. You like sex without entanglement -- hearing that you're another notch in my belt puts you securely in your comfort zone," Khan said. 

Jim changed stance and mood instantly, eyes bright, but now serious. "Hey, I didn't mean to push you into something you don't want," he said, "but I don't care if you've been with a thousand others or none. Let's forget it. I'll show you how to play 3d chess...if you don't already know how." 

"What gave you the impression you've pushed me into something I don't want?" Khan asked, puzzled. It had been a long time since he'd had any interaction. He... wasn't very good at it.

"What you said about not having notches on your belt, not doing this casually," Jim said, stepping back toward Khan. "I know I'm forward and pushy."

"You misinterpreted my meaning," Khan said. He tugged him forward and kissed him softly. 

Jim moaned softly and tipped his head up slightly to enjoy the kiss, before murmuring, "I'm glad I misunderstood. I didn't mean to insult you, though."

"You didn't. Not really," Khan said, sucking at Kirk's lower lip. He loved the sounds Kirk made and was curious to learn more of them. 

Jim smiled into the kiss and murmured, "Good. Let's go to bed. You can show me how well a vampire and a human can get along." He stepped back and tugged at Khan lightly. 

Khan smiled against Kirk's lips and let go of him long enough to remove his clothes. He moved quickly and efficiently rather than trying to draw it out.The goal was to be rid of his clothes, not to tease.

"Well, as long as we're clear about that," Jim said and answered the motions by stripping himself with equal efficiency. He stretched out on the bed and allowed Khan to choose what he wanted to do. His intense gaze focused on his soon-to-be lover, however, the blue bright and nearly impossible.

Khan stretched out on the bed, running his hands along Kirk's chest and stomach. "What do you like?" he asks softly. 

"Everything," Jim said and reached out to touch Khan in his turn, mapping him with a tenderness he showed only some of his lovers. "Let's find out together?"

Khan was perplexed by the manner in which Kirk touched him. It was unfamiliar. "Yes, let's," Khan agreed, mimicking the slow, gentle way Kirk touched him. 

Jim hummed happily and slid his hands into Khan's hair, pulling him into a kiss. He wrapped a leg around his and tugged at him, encouraging him on top. "You're not used to things that aren't hard and fast. I thought you might like it...I imagine you sense everything with much more intensity than a human."

Khan allowed Kirk to draw him on top of him, kissing him deeply as he settled. "No, I'm not," he said, lips curving into a smile. "Perceptive of you. Yes, things are more intense. Your touch is... different from what I'm used to, but fascinating because of it."

"Do you ejaculate like a mortal?" Jim asked, thinking a vampire would have no use for such things. "I'd like you inside me."

"There's no biological need for it," Khan said with a shake of his head. He licked his lips and purred in response. "I would like that, too."

"And I imagine we're safe not to give each other any diseases," Jim said and reached down to fondle Khan's cock. "Let me suck you for a bit to warm you up?"

"I'm incapable of contracting or transmitting any of the diseases you worry about," Khan said. He groaned softly and arched into Kirk's hand. "Yes. Let's see what else that mouth of yours is good for."

"Roll on your back," Jim urged and slid himself to kneel between Khan's legs.

Khan chuckled and turned onto his back easily, propping himself up on his elbows to watch Kirk. He was a fine specimen for a human.

James narrowed his eyes at Khan's chuckle and then settled to look over his cock. "Hmm, not bad," he opined with a slight grin. He licked gently at the tip and scraped his teeth along the head. 

Khan's smile was more a baring of teeth until he felt the heat of Kirk's mouth. He groaned and had to refrain from bucking upward; he could easily break the man's jaw or worse if he lost control.

"Oh, that is different," Jim purred, interested in the coolness under his tongue. He nuzzled up and down the proud erection, humming lightly. "Why does a vampire even get erections? Doesn't serve any function." He experimented by fastening his mouth rather indelicately over where the bundle of nerved was located on a live human male, seeing if the sensitivity was the same...or greater.

"Because... fuck... the typical erection doesn't serve a purpose," Khan growled, shuddering under the attention. "It's still a result of arousal or physical pleasure. The inability to procreate does not go hand in hand with the inability to register stimuli." And then he shouted when Kirk sealed his mouth over that spot and sucked.

"Even better," Jim rumbled happily and reached down to tug at the heavy sack behind Khan's lovely erection. "So, this is just for show then." He played with it, hoping it was as extraordinarily sensitive as the rest of Khan's body. "A shame. This looks like something that belonged to a stud bull."

"Vampires were once human," Khan gasped, pushing back into Kirk's hand. "Being bitten doesn't change the external biology, only what happens internally." And Kirk was quizzing him about vampire anatomy during sex. He found it charming.

"Mmm, but think of all the wasted potential," Jim said and nuzzled the balls, before licking. "Still tastes good." He slid up and sucked the head back into his mouth, hollowing his cheeks and seeing what Khan enjoyed. He loved this part about new lovers, discovering what turned them on and what left the cold. Or in Khan's case, colder.

"Does it?" Kirk was good at this, undoubtedly good at this. Khan moaned softly, scratching his fingers over the man's scalp. Kirk had done nothing to turn him off thus far, something entirely unheard of the first time he was with someone new.

"Mmmm," Jim emphasized with his mouth full, making everything buzz. He scraped-slid even lower, seeking to take all of the lovely monstrosity into his mouth and throat. His gag reflex triggered a little, but not enough to stop him from burying a nose into the curls of Khan's groin. He found that dark thatch very appealing against the pale skin.

Khan was actively struggling to keep his hips still now, soft, nearly inaudible whimpers sounding in his throat as Kirk's lips slid further along his length, and fuck, he'd succeeded in taking him all in. 

Jim swallowed a few times and then pulled all the way off with a rough moan, licking at the moisture that tried to escape his mouth. "Fuck. That's so good. You want to thrust, don't you? But you don't trust yourself." He jacked Khan a few times, lazy, but hard. "Don't trust yourself with this pathetic little human."

"Fragile," Khan corrected. He had stopped thinking of Kirk as pathetic almost immediately. He was still human, still fragile, but not pathetic. Pathetic was for other people. "Humans are easily broken."

"Fragile," Jim repeated with a little grin and scratched the frenulum playfully. "Is that so?" He tapped Khan's hips, both sides with both hands. "Try a little thrusting?"

Curious, he lifted his hips without much force. "What are you planning, Captain?" Khan inquired.

"To just open my mouth and let you do some work," Jim said and then took Khan back in. He placed his hands on Khan's hips and waited for the response.

Khan groaned, nearly called him a fool, but in the end, the temptation of Kirk's mouth was too much to resist. He started thrusting slowly, carefully.

Jim would have smiled, but for the fullness in his mouth. He trusts Khan not to go too far in his actions and moans happily with each slide in and out of his lips. He finally pulls back for a second, another thing on his mind. "How long does it take you to get hard again after you come?"

Khan nearly whimpered when Kirk stopped, but refrained from grabbing him by the head and pulling him back down. "Not long. Ten minutes, perhaps," he said. "Why?"

"Good. I can suck you off and then have you inside me," Jim said contentedly. He returned to his task with renewed vigor, tugging at Khan's hips again.

"Yes," Khan said quickly, eager for both. Kirk was delightfully responsive, and he wondered what it would be like to fuck him. He thrust into his mouth carefully, learning how hard he could thrust without causing harm.

Jim licked and sucked at Khan, accommodating his thrusts with the ease of practice. He had first done this when he was thirteen, on a much older boy who was very well endowed. That had been a misery, but he had learned his limits. He tapped Khan's hips to let him know more was still all right.

"Suck harder," Khan said, increasing the speed of his thrusts when Kirk indicated he was still doing fine. 

Jim snickered a little and increased his suction, feeling a little weird since Khan was dry as a bone. It was the strangest sensation to suck on someone who was obviously hard and enjoying it, but didn't produce any evidence otherwise. All of his other partners had some kind of secretions.

It would only get stranger for Kirk, because when Khan came, the only indication was the tensing of his body and the low, almost inhuman, growl that escaped his throat. 

Jim sucked and licked until the organ obviously softened and then lifted his head. He looked at the lovely cock and then at Khan's face with something near bemusement. "That was the weirdest reaction ever. I feel like I totally failed."

Khan frowned. What a way to ruin the afterglow. "That was the worst bloody response to an orgasm I've ever received," he said, wrinkling his nose. "I did warn you. I told you in advance." 

Jim laughed softly at the expression and then climbed up Khan to lie on top of him. "Hearing and experiencing are very different things." He gently tweaked Khan's nose, amused by the expression and completely unafraid of the reaction to his playfulness. "You still came. And used my mouth harder than you thought you could." 

Khan nodded. That was very true. "I can assure you, Captain, that you didn't fail in the slightest," he said, nearly going cross-eyed as he watched the man tweak his nose.

Jim leaned in to kiss Khan's mouth softly and then asked, "You still want my ass, too?" He bit at Khan's lower lip and tugged.

"Provided you don't complain the next time I come," Khan said pointedly, raising an eyebrow. Khan still wanted Jim. Fuck, more than ever now.

"Gripe, gripe, complain, complain," Jim mocked right back and lifted his own eyebrows to match Khan's single. He grabbed one of Khan's hands and guided it toward his ass, placing it lightly on top.

"Lubrication?" Khan inquired, palming Kirk's ass in a firm grip just this side of bruising. 

Jim hummed at the grasp and bucked into Khan's body a little. He was wary of surrendering to anyone his freedom to play around, but loved the feel of restraint in sex itself. "In the drawer in the nightstand on the right," he said. "Want me on my back?"

"Yes," Khan said, using his hold on Kirk to roll them over. Once he had the man settled on his back, he came up on his knees and reached over to find the lube. There was something so erotic about Kirk, an aura of confidence most lacked.

Jim wrapped one leg around Khan's left hip and then stretched the other one out to expose himself for prep, even as he canted up his pelvis. "Like this?" he asked, eyes half-closed and gleaming at his lover. 

Khan nodded, something akin to a purr rumbling in his throat. "Perfect," he said, popping the cap and lubing up his fingers. He pressed one against Kirk's entrance, circling lightly before he began to ease it in.

Jim rumbled a response back and pushed into that finger, watching Khan intensely. "You're going to be so careful, aren't you? Still afraid for me."

"I don't want to cause you pain," Khan said, working his finger in slowly. Hurting Kirk didn't hold any appeal. 

"I know," Jim hummed and relaxed back to let Khan prepare him, willing to be patient. After all, how often did one get bedded by a vampire?

"You will tell me if I do something to make you uncomfortable," Khan said, phrasing it somewhere between a question and an order. 

"You won't," Jim assured him and tugged lightly with the foot hooked over his hips. "You're already showing care with me. I know you want us both to enjoy this."

Khan added another finger, spreading them cautiously. "I do," he said. 

Jim groaned and arched into the touch, wiggling his ass into the finger. "You're so strong," he murmured. "Fuck. I love how you can just force me open."

"Was it too forceful?" Khan inquired, gentling the movements of his fingers. He really did not want to cause Kirk any pain. He wanted this to be an experience he looked back on with fondness.

"Oh, come here and kiss me," Jim said in response, reaching for him. He couldn't believe the vampire was so ridiculously careful and concerned.

Khan nodded, leaning in to capture Kirk's lips. He enjoyed kissing him far more than he had ever enjoyed it with previous lovers.

Jim gripped the powerful shoulders and murmured, "You're a very thoughtful lover, you know. Every other word out of you is- are you all right? Am I hurting you? How can you possibly think I wouldn't enjoy this? Enjoy you? That you'd ever hurt me?"

"Does it surprise you?" Khan asked, biting at Kirk's bottom lip. He crooked his fingers and stroked them over the man's prostate, eager to see how he would react.

Jim moaned and arched shamelessly into the pleasure, searching for more. "Surprise me?" he gasped softly and shook his head. "Does it surprise you? How you act with me? For me?"

"Is it what you expected? Or did you think I would be careless with you?" Khan asked, scissoring his fingers as he watched Kirk buck beneath him.

Jim hissed a little and gripped at Khan's shoulders, eyes wide and half-drugged. But he still had his senses. "The way you talked, I thought you might hurt me by accident." His mouth quirked in a half-smirk, daring the vampire.

"I'm not so careless as I had feared, and you are not quite as fragile," Khan said, leaning down to graze one of Kirk's nipples with his teeth.

"Fuck," Jim moaned and pressed into his teeth. "Can you use your fangs? Please." He brushed his fingers over Khan's cheek.

"It's not safe for me to bite you," Khan reminded him. Letting his fangs extend, he carefully repeated the move.

"Oh fuck, yes," Jim groaned even louder and fought the urge to press even harder into those teeth. "That's so amazingly hot."

Khan shuddered, surprised by how Kirk's moan affected him. He carefully drew the nipple between his teeth, teasing it with his tongue.

"Mmm, suck harder," Jim murmured. "Love your fangs. Wish you could drink more. Fuck, I'm hard." He wiggled a little under the vampire, but tried not to let the fangs cut.

Khan groaned and did as Kirk asked, sucking more forcefully on the nipple. "I can feel that," he murmured, switching to the other nub. 

"I want you inside me now," Jim demanded and pushed more into the fingers that stretched him so sweetly. "Prove to yourself that you're as good a lover as I know you will be."

"Do you not need another finger?" Khan asked. 

Jim shook his head and said, "Two is enough. I like a bit of stretch when I'm penetrated." He studied Khan's face and reached out to touch his fangs again, fascinated by them. "Please, Khan."

Khan shuddered and withdrew his fingers to slick his cock. "You don't have to beg me," he said. 

"But would you like me to?" Jim asked with a little wiggle of his ass to invite Khan inside him. "I don't mind asking for what I want. Pleading if it works." He stroked over the fangs again and said with certainty, "You like having me touch these."

"Yes, beg me," Khan said. "I want to hear it. I want you to ask me for what you want." He sucked at Kirk's finger and purred. 

Jim widened his eyes to their fullest, making them shine with complete plea, and said, "Please, Khan. Please put that cock into me, as deep as you can go. I need to be filled with you, Khan. Want you so bad. Please." 

Khan had asked to hear Kirk beg, but wasn't prepared for the shivers it sent down his spine. He coated himself thoroughly and slowly began to press in, careful not to cause too much discomfort.

So, yeah, that worked beautifully. And Jim did not question things that worked. He just kept going until they stopped working. "Oh, fuck, that's so good," he moaned, shameless and loud. "Need you inside me so bad. Don't stop! Pleasepleaseplease don't stop!"

Khan made an odd sound that was almost a whine, leaning down to graze his fangs over Kirk's throat. It would be so easy to bite down, but he held himself back and continued pressing in bit by bit.

Jim dropped his head back to expose his neck even more to the vampire, unafraid and willing to show it. The touch of his fangs made Jim shiver all over and run a hand into Khan's hair, tugging his head down a little more. "Almost filled me up now. Please, Khan, I want you to claim my body now."

Khan shuddered and pressed in without stopping until he was seated, groin pressed to Kirk's ass. He paused, waiting, hoping he hadn't done anything to cause the man too much discomfort. "All right?"

Jim shifted a little under Khan and then smiled up at the vampire. "Mmm, I'm nice and filled. Even if you are a little cold." His smile arched into something teasing.

"We could make use of your shower soon. The water will keep me warm," Khan offered, reaching up to trace Kirk's lips. He liked that playful little smile and hoped to see more of it.

"I bet you can warm me up physically, too," Jim purred and reached down to drag his fingers over Khan's hips, near where they were joined. "Bet you can get my body really working."

Khan smirked and rocked his hips forward, eager to watch Kirk's reaction. "We'll see how warm I can get you," he said. 

Jim bucked and groaned at the movement and then smiled encouragement. "Yes, that's what I want. Please." He licks his lips and makes his voice as needy and honeyed as he can. "Please, Khan."

Khan growled, taking Kirk's thigh and urging it higher to allow for a better angle. "How do you want it?" he asked.

"As deep as you can get and as hard as you dare," Jim said with a groan at the move of his leg, the stretch of muscle. "Prove to me that you want me. Show me. Leave me a wreck for anyone else."

"You haven't been paying attention if you think for even one second that I don't want you," Khan said, testing the angle and force as he thrust. He would go easy if Kirk looked like he was in pain.

"Hmm," Jim said with a low moan of pleasure and pushed back into the impalement. "Fuck, yes, that's perfect. I believe I've been paying very close attention."

"You have been," Khan rumbled, pleased. He allowed Kirk to help set the pace, adjusting easily to what the human could take. "What have you learned while you were paying very close attention?" 

"Come down here," Jim murmured, "and I'll tell you." He reached for Khan and wiggled his fingers to entice him into a kiss.

"I don't see how you plan to tell me with your lips otherwise occupied," Khan pointed out, but didn't resist, leaning down to meet Kirk's lips in an eager kiss. 

Jim sucked at Khan's lower lip with a vengeance, before pulling back to grin at him. "You like to kiss, but I bet you don't do it often, even when you do have a bed partner. You're more sensitive about everything then you like to let on and..." He paused and narrowed his eyes, judging how far he should go. "You're lonely. You want contact. You want me." He softened the words with an honest smile.

Khan tensed and thought of withdrawing, snarling something hateful and leaving the captain naked and alone. He thought of all of that, but in the end, he admired the man's moxie to confront him with the truth. "You are more astute than you would like others to believe," Khan said, delivering a thrust that was too hard, almost intended as punishment.

Jim did react with a wince and a soft groan, but then threaded a hand in Khan's hair and lifted himself back up to kiss him, soft and appealing. "Don't have to be defensive. I won't use something like that against you. Promise." He shifted to let Khan claim even more of him.

Khan's scowl faded, and he lessened the force behind his thrusts. He didn't apologize in so many words, but when he next kissed Kirk, it was gentle and had no aggression behind it.

Jim hummed in response and leaned back toward the bed, arms still around Khan's shoulders to pull him after. "That's it. Feel so damned good inside me. Like you were made to fit."

Khan allowed Kirk to pull him along with him and swiveled his hips deliberately. He flattened himself as close as he could to Kirk, trapping the man's cock between their bellies. "I bet you say that to everyone," he taunted.

Jim traced Khan's mouth and murmured, "Don't be like that. I've bedded many people, it's true. But I don't say things I don't mean." He leaned up to kiss him and then kiss him again.

"And you mean that?" Somehow, Khan believed him. He pressed his lips to Kirk's fingers and bent his head to capture his lips again.

Jim tipped his head up to share kisses with him, one after another in slow fashion. "I mean it. Do you not feel that connection? Lock and key?"

To be honest with himself, Khan was trying not to. "Yes," he admitted, licking past Kirk's lips to stop him from talking anymore. 

Jim sucked enthusiastically on Khan's tongue and then licked at his teeth, encouraging his fangs. He was loving this, floating on the high of being with such a charismatic individual. He pressed into Khan's cock, encouraging him to keep moving.

Khan was cautious with his fangs, but if Kirk wanted to feel them, he wouldn't deny him the additional thrill they provided. He slid an arm beneath the man's hips for leverage, hips moving relentlessly.

Jim groaned at the feel of fangs and flicked his tongue over them, ever so carefully. He did not want to tease the vampire too much, except how he does. Relaxing into the hold on his hips, he thrust even harder into the cock in his ass. "Fuck. Making me take it so good."

The strong responses startled a moan out of Khan, and he broke from the kiss and bent his head to hide against Kirk's shoulder. He pistoned his hips, growling softly under his breath. 

Khan wanted to keep his face where it was. Then he withdrew his face from it's hiding spot and raised an eyebrow. "You wanted something?"

"Your eyes," Jim murmured and caressed his cheek, gazing deep into his eyes. "And your mouth." He tugged him into a kiss, inviting his tongue in.

Khan nearly shuddered. It was almost disturbing to him that Kirk wanted to look in his eyes now, but then Jim kissed him, and he was able to hide himself again.

Jim pulled back from Khan's mouth and smiled into his eyes, reaching out to touch his mouth. "May I see your fangs again?" He tugged lightly at his lower lip.

"You have a fetish," Khan said, extending his fangs again for Kirk to examine. 

"Fuck, yes, I do," Jim said and ran a finger down them, tightening his legs more around Khan. "Keep fucking me." He raised himself up to lick tenderly at the length, before very playfully and somewhat crazily, allowing the tip to just prick the muscle.

"Wasn't planning to stop," Khan said. He had to brace Kirk for the force behind his thrusts, groaning low in his throat as the faint taste of Kirk's blood filled his mouth. 

Jim gripped tight at Khan's shoulders and tried to maintain the kiss, but finally, as his lover pounded into him, his head fell back on a loud cry. He echoed that noise every time the powerful Khan smashed into his prostate with his merciless cock. But he still fought to give back to his lover as much as he could, culminating suddenly in his yanking himself up, twisting his head and biting down, hard, into Khan's neck.

Khan was entirely unprepared for the bite, and it was the shock, as well as the pain-tinged pleasure, slamming into him that broke his tenuous hold on his control. He surged wildly into Kirk and came with a cry. 

Jim seldom came with a partner, but Khan's release stimulated his, which spilled between them in a mess. He tightened his grip around his vampire lover, though he managed to pry his teeth out of his neck. He pressed his forehead into the strong curve of that neck, though, and made some deliberately loud and helpless noises, as his orgasm just wrung and wrung out of him.

Khan eventually slowed to a stop, reaching up to touch his neck, curious as to whether or not Kirk had managed to break the skin. Not quite, but the area was sensitive. He hummed his satisfaction at the noises Kirk made, nosing at the curve of his neck. 

Jim grinned, even as he panted for air, and licked gently at Khan's fingers and neck. "Would it be bad if I had gotten some of your blood?" he murmured. His arms relaxed, so his body eased into the mattress. "And can you go again?"

"It wouldn't have harmed you, no," Khan said. "Not at the moment, but soon. Why?" Surely Kirk wasn't ready for more already...

"Stay inside me," Jim urged softly and dropped a hand to push just above the slight curve of Khan's ass, keeping him close. "Just keep still and let me keep you warm until you're hard again. Bet it won't take you long." He dropped small kisses over his cheeks and eyelids.

"Won't you be sore?" Khan asked, but he made no move to withdraw from Kirk. He was deliciously warm, and Khan could smell him, blood and sweat and musk. It was addictive. 

"A good kind of sore," Jim assured him. "The kind that will remind me of you for days." He sought Khan's mouth and kissed him with an unusual sweetness. "Tell me how it would feel different if you could suck my blood at the same time."

"All right," Khan said. He had to trust that Kirk would let him know if he were uncomfortable. He shuddered, reveling in the sweet, gentle kisses more than he probably should. "I could taste you, your essence, perhaps even your emotions."

Jim considered that idea and said, "Sounds doubly dangerous for me. How would it make me feel?" He wiggled slightly to feel Khan shift inside him.

"That depends. I've heard some humans love it, while others feel too vulnerable. It terrifies them," Khan said, humming when Kirk shifted. 

"I don't like being vulnerable," Jim affirmed, "but I do like taking risks. I'm complicated that way." He nuzzled at Khan's cheeks and then rubbed their noses together in an almost sweet affectation, more dichotomy. "When enough time has past, you're definitely drinking from me again."

Khan still didn't know what to make of Kirk's nuzzling, but wasn't going to question it aloud. "That sounds... appealing."

"Ought to," Jim said with a playful wink. "I'm picturing you holding me so my back is to your front and your arm is around my waist. We can stand in front of a mirror, so I can watch you drink from my neck for awhile, until I can't stand it anymore, and I have to feel your cock inside me again. Then you can fuck and suck me at the same time."

Khan shivered, cock twitching at the mental image. "That sounds incredible," he murmured. "You'd look so gorgeous with my fangs buried in your neck and my cock inside of you."

Jim moaned softly at the stirring inside him and stroked over Khan's back. "Knew you would be ready to go again soon." He caressed Khan's lips and then kissed him, little dipping touches and sharing of tongue flicks. "Yes, I will look gorgeous that way. You'll have to be careful, lover, not to get carried away and drink too much. I'm addicting."

Khan shuddered and deepened the kiss, licking into Kirk's mouth to revel in the only way of tasting him currently available. "I can see that," he said with a chuckle. 

"Good," Jim said and sucked on his tongue hungrily. "I intend to keep you addicted to me as long as I have you on my ship."

Khan made a helpless, quiet sound against Kirk's lips. He couldn't help it. "I think you may well succeed," he murmured.

Jim smiled softly at the noise and trailed fingers down Khan's spine. "Will you do slow and gentle for me this time?" he asked and pressed into the place where Khan still had him impaled. "Can you sip from me without danger?"

"If you like," Khan said, hips barely moving. He was willing to give Kirk what he wanted. It would hardly be a sacrifice on his part. "Very carefully, yes."

"Do you trust yourself with me?" Jim asked and wrapped a leg around Khan's hips, allowing himself to gently move with Khan. "Where can you drink from?" 

"Not a vein," Khan said. "I can sip from a more minor wound, perhaps here." He nuzzled at Kirk's shoulder to demonstrate. 

"Would you like to?" Jim asked, stroking Khan's soft hair and turning his head to look at him. "Or is that too much of a tease?"

"It is a tease, but it's the best kind," Khan said. "Is that a yes?" Jim Kirk was a lunatic, Khan decided. He was very fortunate that the lunatic had taken a liking to him. He was remarkably fun to play with. 

"More like a fuck, yeah," Jim said, grinning like said maniac. He fluttered his eyelashes and purred at Khan, "I want to watch you."

Khan shuddered, moving slowly but surely, and peppered Kirk's shoulder with kisses before sinking his teeth in. 

Jim made a soft noise of mixed pain and arousal, before relaxing again. His eyes narrowed to watch Khan. "Please."

Khan gently withdrew his fangs, lapping at the wound he'd made. "Please what?" he inquired.

"Mmm, just that," Jim said, watching him with obvious pleasure. "Tell me I taste good." He watched Khan's tongue flick over his skin, shivering with each touch. 

"Better than fine wine," Khan purred, teasing the punctures with his tongue, mimicking the slow rolls of his hips.

Jim allowed his body to be completely pliant for Khan, just accepting everything he wanted to give and take from him. He made a slightly disgruntled noise and said, "Thought I'd be even better than that." 

Khan chuckled low in his throat and asked, "What would you consider adequate praise, then, Captain Kirk?" 

"The best ever," Jim said with a firm nod. "I settle for nothing less." He beamed at Khan and stroked over his throat.

"The best ever," Khan repeated, a brow arching in amusement. He sealed his lips over the wound and drew more blood to the surface, rocking into his lover in a slow, deliberate rhythm.

Jim gasped a soft, "Oh fuck," at the strange sensation of Khan drawing blood from his shoulder, on top of pressing into his ass. He was a little worn below, but it was worth it. And he rallied quickly back, saying, "Well, now I don't believe it, so you're going to have to make it up to me."

Khan groaned at the taste of Kirk's blood as it filled his mouth, swiveling his hips to distract him from his griping. "How shall I convince you?" he asked. 

Jim made a slightly distressed noise at the punishing move and then gripped Khan even tighter. "Not like that."

Khan froze, concern in his expression as he glanced at Kirk. If he'd meant to be rough, it wouldn't have bothered him. "Too much?"

Jim shivered and asked, "You didn't mean to do that?" He touched Khan's face softly and questioningly. "I thought I pushed you too much, and you were angry."

"No," Khan said, thoroughly annoyed with himself. When he hurt someone, he was deliberate in doing so, and he had not wanted to hurt Kirk. "I wasn't angry. That wasn't intended as punishment."

Jim hummed softly in response, content again, now that he knew he hadn't angered Khan. He smiled softly and tugged lightly at his head, easing his back to the wound on his shoulder. "All right. It's all right. You didn't mean it."

"Should I stop?" Khan inquired, gently licking the wound. He kept his hips still just in case Kirk was still sore and required a break or for him to stop entirely. 

"No, I'm all right," Jim murmured and shivered again at the licks to his shoulder. "Just be tender with me." He pushed into Khan, offering himself again.

Khan hummed his approval, moving slowly so as not to cause the man anymore pain. He wanted Jim to enjoy himself from now on, even if that meant he could only move at a snail's pace.

Jim relaxed back into Khan's ministrations and tilted his hips slightly to allow Khan in even deeper. He held Khan's head gently, urging him to continue to feed. There was something deeply satisfying about allowing Khan so much freedom with his body.

Khan groaned softly at the way Kirk's change in angle allowed him to sink inside even more. His rhythm was slow and methodical now, including the way he drew blood from the wound. 

"Only problem with this is that you can't make noise to let me know you're enjoying it," Jim said. "Should I make up for it? Tell you how even though I'm not going to come again, I can hardly stop myself from begging you for more? How right I feel with your cock inside me and you drinking my blood? Would that be good?"

Khan murmured a curse that was lost in the curve of Kirk's shoulder. He shuddered and moved faster, unable to help himself. Kirk was just egging him on. 

Jim groaned and grabbed Khan's back helplessly, lifting himself into each thrust. "Please, Khan," he said. "Please."

It only took a few more thrusts before he came, stifling a growl against Kirk's shoulder, the taste of him filling his mouth, heightening the pleasure. 

The dry releases of Khan's would take some getting used to, but Jim was used to variety in sex. He savored the growl and hummed his own pleasure into Khan's ears, to let him know he'd enjoyed everything, despite his own body's lack of arousal.

This time Khan forced himself to withdraw, turning them into their sides. He nuzzled the wound lightly before asking Kirk, "Shall I heal it for you?"

"You don't want anymore?" Jim asked softly and caressed his hair. "You haven't taken that much, have you?"

"I don't want to overdo it," Khan said, puzzled by the way Kirk stroked his hair. He was extremely affectionate, and Khan had no idea what to make of it.

Jim nodded and said, "All right. I'd like to see you heal it again. I was a little dazed last time." He tugged at Khan's hair and asked, "Did your hair get softer, too, when you turned?"

Khan nodded and sliced his tongue on the point of a fang, licking over the wound to seal it closed. "Possibly. I don't remember what my hair felt like before," he said.

"Whew," Jim said and stretched his admittedly sore body. "You wore me out." He settled on to the bed and looked at Khan, one hand still petting through his head, like he would to soothe a dangerous big cat. "So, can you go basically endlessly?" 

Khan smirked, proud of himself in spite of his strange, lingering concern for Kirk. He'd enjoyed this and would like to repeat it at some point. "Not endlessly. Even I am capable of becoming sore," he said.

"Do you want to stay for awhile?" Jim asked around a yawn. "You can read one of my padds to learn more about your current situation, if you want. Or, you can go back to your new quarters."

Khan paused, unsure of how to answer that question initially. "I'll stay, I think," he said at last. He had to marvel at the trust Kirk was willing to place in him, sleeping next to a vampire.

"Good," Jim said, sincerely pleased. "We've got a lot to do tomorrow and in the near future. And I've got a lot of convincing to do to keep you lot out of trouble."

"I wish you luck. Know that I don't fault you if you're unable to keep us out of trouble," Khan said. 

"Well, thank you for that," Jim murmured and stretched out contentedly, letting Khan look all he wanted. "I'll do my best."

And Khan did look. He admired the lines of Kirk's torso. His muscles weren't as defined as Khan's, but he certainly wasn't in poor shape at all.

Jim felt those intense eyes and allowed his body to just relax more into the bed. He allowed his head to fall back, exposing his throat rather temptingly, even as he drifted toward a nice post-coital nap. Everything in him indicated that he held no fear of his bedmate.

Khan was puzzled by Kirk's lack of fear, but he had to admire him for it. He settled in to read and watch the man sleep, and perhaps he would doze, too.


	4. Morning

Jim's alarm woke him, and he flailed a moment, before sitting up and blinking a few times sleepily. His eyes focused on Khan, and his mouth quirked in a goofy smile to find him still there. He basically climbed on his lap for a moment and kissed him, before climbing right off again to head to the bathroom.

Khan had slept lightly, waking several hours before Kirk. He smiled when he woke, kissing him softly, and chuckled at the way he scrambled over him. 

Jim glanced over his shoulder and smiled at Khan's laugh, such a nice noise from the vampire. He winked at him and then disappeared for a few minutes to get ready for the day. When he emerged, still nude, he walked back over to Khan and arranged himself back in his lap. "I have a meeting in about an hour."

"Am I to return to my quarters?" Khan inquired. He really wasn't certain what he should do. He settled his hands on Kirk's hips, stroking lightly. 

"You can go prowl around your crew, if you like," Jim said. "We'll be arriving at Earth later tonight and then everything will be very busy for awhile." He leaned in to kiss Khan lightly.

"All right. I'll be with my crew," Khan said, surprised when Kirk leaned in for a kiss, but he granted it immediately.

Jim hummed into his mouth and then murmured, "I want you to fuck me again before we have to part."

Khan made a low, purring sound and nipped at Kirk's bottom lip. "Do you? Do you want to spend your shift barely able to sit in your chair? Do you think your crew will know?"

"Yes, I want to have that sense memory of you," Jim said and wrapped his arms around Khan. "If you want me."

"Very much so," Khan said. There shouldn't be a single doubt that Khan wanted him by now. 

"I'd like to sit backward in your lap and have you take me that way," Jim said and thumbed over his right cheek. "We can watch ourselves in the mirror."

Khan groaned softly. That idea definitely had its appeal. "Grab the lube, will you?" he asked, busying himself with kissing and nibbling along Kirk's shoulder.

Jim grabbed the lubricant and turned himself around on Khan's lap, before easing himself forward on his forearms, offering up his ass. "Like this?" 

"Perfect," Khan murmured, lightly drawing his nails along Kirk's spine. He took the tube from him and popped it open, slicking his fingers so he could tease Kirk's entrance.

"I'd love for you to tease, but we're up against the clock," Jim reminded him with a little push back into the fingers. "If things work out, you can have a longer go at me later."

"I know. We've no time to tease right now, but later..." Khan smiled at the thought of what he would do later. In the meantime, he found Kirk's prostate and rubbed.

Jim shivered and then moaned delightfully, as Khan played him so sweetly. The idea of Khan planning to be with him again later just made him even more excited. He spread his legs and groaned even louder, asking for even more.

Kirk almost seemed surprised that Khan had plans for later. Well. He would give that more thought when he wasn't otherwise occupied. He crooked his fingers again, then withdrew to work in another. He wouldn't be able to spend as much time stretching Kirk as usual, either.

"That's good, Khan," Jim praised and pushed even more back into Khan's fingers. "So good. Can't wait to have you inside me again. Want to keep you as long as possible. Do every fucking thing with you I can dream up."

Khan had no idea how to respond to that. Kirk wanted to keep him? He withdrew his fingers and coated himself, hands settling on Kirk's hips to draw him back onto his cock. "What have you dreamed up so far?"

"I thought you might like to chain me to a bed and use your fangs to make some little cuts in my most sensitive places to lick up blood and arouse me," Jim said and then allowed his weight to settle on Khan's lap, cock piercing him. His head fell back on Khan's shoulder, even as he groaned in delight.

"You would let me? I could cause so much pain in those sensitive places," Khan pointed out, thrusting slowly so as not to make Kirk uncomfortable. He'd been almost brutal with him last night and didn't want to do any harm.

Jim leaned back against his chest and let Khan do the work, knowing his strength would make it easy. He threw an arm over his head and around Khan's neck, anchoring himself close and deliberately exposing the tease of his own throat. "Would you want to?"

Khan growled softly. Of course Kirk would expose his throat when he was unable to bite him, the bloody tease. "Yes, I want to," he replied, anchoring Kirk's hips with his arm as he changed the angle.

Jim grunted at the blunt press against his prostate and turned his head to look at Khan. "You'd want to make it hurt?" he asked, eyes shining.

"Would you want me to?" Khan asked, raising an eyebrow. He wasn't quite sure what to make of that grunt, so he gentled his thrusts again.

Jim sighed as the thrusts gentled and kissed Khan's cheeks in thanks, before saying, "I haven't got a kink for pain, but I'd be willing to try it, if you wanted to."

"It can be painless," Khan said, lightly grazing Kirk's shoulder with his fangs. "I think you would much prefer that. So would I." It was more enjoyable when his partners were having a good time.

"Yes, please," Jim said and pressed lightly into the fang. "You want more?" He pushed his face as much as he could into Khan's neck.

"Always, but I'm not certain if I should risk it," Khan said. He had only taken a mouthful the previous night, so he had proven that he could behave himself. Still...

"Whatever you want," Jim murmured and shut his eyes to focus on the slick, hard sensation of Khan moving inside him. "If you change your mind, I'm all right with it."

Khan nodded, slipping his hand lower to wrap around Kirk's cock. He was sorely tempted, but going to keep his fangs to himself for the time being.

"Oh," Jim moaned and bucked into that hand, eyes opening again to look at Khan. "Mmmm, that's a nice surprise."

"Why would it be a surprise? Surely you expected it," Khan said, stroking Kirk firmly.

Jim gripped at Khan's legs and moved with his hand, bucking in to the touch. "I didn't expect you to move that fast," he murmured.

"That wasn't what I would consider fast," Khan said, nipping at Kirk's shoulder, as he dragged his thumb through the moisture at the head of his cock.

Jim moaned and turned to mouth at Khan's cheek and neck. "Khan, aren't you going to bite a little?"

"Don't tempt me," Khan murmured. "I want to." If Kirk continued to tease him, he wouldn't be able to stop himself.

"My Khan," Jim answered and sought out his mouth again, wanting a kiss. "I told you that I don't mind if you drink a little more." 

Khan's brow furrowed in puzzlement. He wasn't sure why Kirk was referring to him as his Khan, but it... wasn't entirely unpleasant. He sank his teeth in carefully.

Jim groaned and let his head fall to the side, giving Khan more room for his bite. "Knew I could addict you," he murmured. "Addicting me, too."

Khan growled against Kirk's skin. Addiction wasn't something he could afford right now. The same could be said of emotional entanglements.

Jim cupped Khan's chin and urged him into a kiss, sharing the taste of his own blood and Khan. "You don't want that?" he asked, soft and seductive. "You want to be free, don't you?"

Khan withdrew his fangs and kissed Kirk eagerly, surprised he wanted to taste his own blood, but it was a thrill. "I don't want to be a slave to anything," he said.

Jim made a face at him and pushed back hard into his cock. "I wouldn't ask for a slave. Don't be rude."

Khan hissed at the sudden thrust, answering it with his own, carefully paced movements. "Yes, all right. I suppose that was rude."

"I'd never force you to stay with me," Jim said, "and I'll do my best for your people and you, either way." He managed to be captainly and earnest, even with Khan buried in his ass and his shoulder marked and bloody from Khan's fangs.

Khan wanted to believe him. Kirk sounded so certain... he had no real reason to lie. He kissed the man's shoulder, nicking his tongue to seal the wound closed, and stroked his cock deliberately. "You're not forcing me," he said.

Jim wrapped a hand around Khan and gently tugged him in to a brief kiss. "I do want you," he said. "For as much as you're willing to give." He rolled his head back on to Khan's shoulder and made a show out of enjoying the dual sensations of Khan's hand and cock. 

Khan kissed him back, amazed by the gentleness of it. He shuddered at Kirk's obvious enjoyment, giving his throat a delicate nip. 

Jim shivered at the nip and tilted his throat even more in offer to Khan, loving the sweetness of his touch. He reached around to grip at his lover to steady himself, as he moved with Khan. "I'm close," he murmured. "So close."

"Come on, then. I want to feel it," Khan urged, sucking at Kirk's throat without breaking the skin this time. He didn't need to. He'd already been given more than he'd anticipated.

"With me?" Jim asked, fighting for the last shreds of his control. "Please?" He pressed into that mouth at his neck, fascinated and delighted by how very much Khan was holding back for him.

"Yes," Khan growled, raking blunt teeth against Kirk's throat. He could hold on for longer if he needed to, but he was really rather determined to come soon if it was all the same to Kirk.

"Mmm. Now then," Jim murmured and spilled over Khan's busy fingers. Really, they were the most lovely things, working him so perfectly.

Khan shuddered, shocked by the heat as Kirk spilled over his fingers. He bit at his shoulder, this time without drawing blood, and muffled a low growl when he came.

Nearly high on his pleasure, Jim allowed Khan to do all the hard work of supporting him through both of their orgasms. He did note that Khan bit at him again, thinking dimly that biting was an important part of vampire love-making. Testing that theory, he twisted his head when he was able again and found his own spot to latch his teeth firmly into Khan's skin.

Khan gradually slowed the rolls of his hips, finally releasing Kirk's cock so as not to make him overly sensitive. He was about to roll them onto their sides when the man bit him, startling a groan and a full-body shudder out of him.

Jim grinned and licked over the mark with a hint of pride. "When you trust yourself enough and I can afford the blood, I'm going to insist you show me just how oral you like to get during sex."

"That's a dangerous game you're playing," Khan murmured, rolling them to their sides. He gently withdrew, nipping at Kirk's shoulder blade.

Jim sighed as Khan left his body and then snuggled up against him, wondering at his cold. He turned his head to catch his eyes and then smiled, soft and seductive, before lowering them almost shyly. "You want me to stop?"

"No, I don't," Khan said, nibbling along Kirk's neck. "I'm curious. I want to see where you'll take this."

"And I want to see if you're as dangerous as you think," Jim teased and tugged Khan up into a soft kiss. "But now, I have to get ready to be captain again."

"All right," Khan sighed. "Go be captain. I need to see to my crew."


	5. One Night

Jim looked around as the landing party finished beaming down to the place they were going to store Khan's family for the moment. Pike had been more understanding than Jim expected, partially s a result of the sheer mess Marcus had left behind him. He had helped persuade the other admirals that Khan's family, unusual as they were, deserved a second chance at a 'normal' life. For the moment, they were going to be placed in a small facility with lovely grounds, where they could be awakened and helped through the culture shock. 

It had been a crazy few weeks, and Jim spent little time with Khan that was not related to reporting to the admirals (multiple times) on everything related to Marcus, Khan and the very existence of vampires. Actually, he had little private time at all, what with having to deal with all the administrative details and meetings for regular Enterprise business, on top of all the special meetings and reports. It was exhausting.

And damn it all, Jim was horny. He had gotten used to going without for extended periods, but not when in the company of someone as desirable as Khan. Plus, they had unfinished business (or pleasure, as it were) in the bedroom. He wanted to let Khan suck his blood again, especially now that he was fully up to strength.

Everything was completely bonkers. They had spent the past few weeks in meeting after meeting. The one good thing that had come of it all was that Pike was far more accepting than Khan had ever dreamt he would be, so they were now going to settle his family into a facility where they could acclimate to the future without being overwhelmed.

He glanced over at Kirk and smiled, one of his rare, genuine smiles, waiting to see where the captain would lead them.

Jim smiled back at Khan, glad to see the normally serious vampire look happy and definitely more relaxed than he had been since they met. He gestured to the cryotubes around them and said to the assembled group, "Everyone is getting their own room, so they can be woken separately, with Khan in attendance, and have a place of their own, if they want. They'll be a common room for them to mingle, as they wake and get used to being awake again." He glanced at Khan for his approval, though they had come up with this together with Dr McCoy and some other Starfleet officials and doctors.

Khan nodded his approval. It was a good plan. They would all have their own personal space, but there would be a common area where they could gather. It was very much the way things had been before they'd had to seal themselves away in cryotubes. 

Jim looked at Khan and said, "Khan already helped picked out the rooms for everyone, so let's get them all moved." He smiled as the medical staff efficiently began to move the cryotubes to their assigned rooms, using the identifications Khan had provided. He looked back at the vampire and asked, "Are you still planning to stay, too?" 

"I had intended to," Khan said, a note of caution in his tone. He wondered if now he would be... encouraged to return to the ship so all of them wouldn't be in one location. He couldn't help being suspicious.

Jim frowned a little at his tone and the answer, a pulse of regret in his stomach for things that wouldn't be. "This looks like a nice place. I bet you've chosen the nicest room," he said easily, face smoothing out into his professional, captain persona.

Khan raised an eyebrow. "They need me," he said quietly. "I have. You should come and see it."

"I would like to," Jim said with a nod. "I'm sorry you don't have any personal effects to make the place more of a home." He nodded to the members of the medical team, as they finished situating Khan's people and headed back to their respective posts, leaving behind only the personnel that was going to be working with Khan's family. 

"I'll have to acquire them at a later time," Khan said, motioning for Kirk to follow him. He wasn't sure how long the man could stay. He would... miss him when he left. That was an odd feeling. Unexpected, to say the least.

Jim followed after Khan, looking around him as they went, well pleased with their final choice. He was glad that Khan could serve his sentence under the guard of Starfleet, but with his family. He was grateful to the Starfleet admiralty for listening to being just in their final ruling. "Well, I'm sure you'll have lots of time," he teased gently.

"I have nothing but time," Khan said. "It's unfortunate that I'm able to spend so little of it with you." Kirk had to return to his crew, and Khan was to stay with his.

Jim looked at him with a soft smile and asked, "Will you think of me now and then, in the stars?"

"I will," Khan said softly. He hadn't thought about it beforehand, but now... Yes, he would think of Jim Kirk and his strange, welcoming crew. 

Jim smiled and bowed his head to the other man, a graceful thank you. "You'll be plenty busy here, though, building a new life for yourselves. A new afterlife?" His smile turned a bit more to the silly side, even as he approached Khan slowly.

"A new afterlife..." Khan chuckled in amusement and held out his hand to Kirk at the man's approach. That was clever. It wasn't something many people would dare say, either, which made him all the more amused. 

Jim reached out and took Khan's hand, not like a handshake, but as a lover would. He squeezed the strong fingers once and asked, "Do you think you can he happy here? I thought the nutrition system was clever. But maybe you'll miss live donors." 

"Yes, I think I can be happy here," Khan said. He had his family. They had free run of the place, which was more than he'd hoped for initially. "Naturally, live donors are better, but we'll make do."

Jim laughed and said, "You just like having everything be fresh on the foot." He stepped into Khan's personal space and tilted his head very slightly to look into Khan's eyes. "I think I'll miss you."

"Can you blame me?" Khan asked. His arm went around Kirk's waist, splaying over his lower back. "I think, Captain, that I'm going to miss you, too."

Jim raised his mouth to brush their lips together, obviously teasing. "I don't blame you. Having someone living and breathing and strong in your arms is always to be preferred."

Khan's hand slid up higher to Kirk's back, pressing him in closer as he deepened the kiss. "I'll have to make due," he murmured.

"Yes, that's all you'll be doing without me," Jim said, only partially teasing. He kissed him even deeper, sucking on his tongue.

"Unfortunately," Khan agreed. It was true. Kirk tasted phenomenal. Kissing him was almost as good, and he urged him on with a soft little sound of approval.

Jim parted their lips and whispered, "Tomorrow, I have to leave, and you have to stay. I want my one night with you, lover. All those things we talked about."

"I'll show you to my room," Khan said, nipping at Kirk's lower lip before he drew back and entered the facility. He was happy. His family would be safe. But... he would miss Kirk.

"Yeah, I want to see where the infamous Khan is going to live. Have you got a four poster bed with massive draperies? Ooh, a coffin?" Jim teased with a lightness in his voice and eyes, which was not as great as it might have been.

"I'm perfectly comfortable in a bed, thank you," he deadpanned. Kirk's tone was light, but his smile didn't reach his eyes the same way. Khan was shocked, but he said nothing about it and led Kirk through the facility to his room. It was sparsely decorated, as were all the rooms, but it was comfortable.

Jim looked around the room and then said, "It definitely lacks a personal touch. Do you have any ideas for decoration?"

Not yet. I need to get a feel for the place first," Khan said.

"Maybe someday I can see it when it's done," Jim murmured and strolled around the room, before heading back to Khan's side. "Do you want this?"

"If work permits," Khan said. Kirk was a busy man. He would undoubtedly remain so. If anything, he would find more work waiting for him. "I wouldn't have invited you to my room if I didn't."

Jim smiled and wrapped a hand around Khan's neck. "I've been keeping up my strength and taking vitamins to help with blood production." He wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

"You should do that under normal circumstances, not only when you have a vampire who'd love to drink from you again," Khan said, which was his version of 'look after yourself while we're apart.'

"You sound like Bones," Jim grumbled and caressed his face. "I'll try, but I'm notoriously bad at taking care of myself."

"I suppose I shall have to trust Dr. McCoy to look after you," Khan said, cupping the nape of Kirk's neck and drawing him in for a kiss.

Jim flicked his tongue over Khan's teeth, obviously asking for his fangs. He pressed himself completely against the vampire, relishing the strength of his body. There was something very freeing in knowing he could just collapse on Khan, if he wanted.

Khan let his fangs extend when prompted, coiling his arms around Kirk's shoulders as he drew him close. He would miss this, the warm and softness of a human, and not just any human. He would miss Kirk's wit and playfulness, too.

Jim groaned happily and teased the fangs with his tongue, not letting them cut, but daring Khan to bite. He rubbed against him sensually.

Khan was careful when he bit down, making sure Kirk would enjoy the pierce of his fangs, and groaned when he tasted blood.

Jim groaned with him and then reached down to grip one of Khan's hands. He gently urged the hand up to his neck, stroking the cool fingers over his jugular invitingly.

Khan lightly nicked his own tongue, letting their combined flavor mingle as they kissed, as well as healing Kirk's tongue. Drawing away, he stroked Kirk's pulse. "Yes?"

Jim glanced over his shoulder at the mirror on Khan's wall and said, "I still want to watch. I'm so glad vampires do have reflections." He rumbled lightly at the touch to his neck and said, "Otherwise, fuck, yes."

Khan nodded, turning them so Kirk had a better view of the mirror. He kissed the man's throat gently, and that was the only warning he gave before he sank his teeth in.

"Oh, fuck," Jim groaned and wrapped a hand around the back of Khan's head, holding him in place against his neck. "So amazing to watch you. Take what you need from me. Please. Suck."

Khan shuddered at the encouragement and did as Kirk requested, pulling mouthfuls of blood from the wound. 

Jim just watched him for a moment, eyes half-lidded and heavy with desire and delight. "Slow down," he murmured. "Don't get carried away." He stroked through the softness of Khan's hair. "I want this to last." 

Khan nodded, slowing gently, lapping at the wound delicately. "Lovely," he murmured softly.

Jim shivered and said, "Fuck, this may be the most intimate thing I've ever done. Watching you drink my blood." He gave a soft laugh and tugged lightly at the locks in his grasp. "Sounds so weird when I say it like that. But it's...intense. Erotic. Is it good for you, too, baby?"

"You have no idea," Khan purred. He placed gentle, affectionate kisses on Kirk's neck, before returning to the bite and sealing his lips over it again. 

Jim pressed back into Khan as that amazing mouth went back to work. He rubbed his ass enticingly against Khan's groin, seeking a hardness to match his own. Every pull of blood from his neck into Khan's mouth seem to send some shooting straight into his cock, too. "I want you in me."

Khan purred softly and herded Kirk toward the bed. "I'm not sure I have anything that doubles for lubrication," he murmured against Kirk's neck.

Jim pulled a small tube out of his pant's pocket and tossed it on the bed. "Be prepared," he sing-songed and then turned his head to bite down, hard, on Khan's earlobe.

Khan raised his eyebrows. "You were optimistic," he teased. More like realistic; there was no way he was letting Kirk return to the ship without this. The sudden bite startled a growl out of him. "Fuck."

"Vampires really like their biting," Jim said with a grin and ran his fingers through the sluggish trail of blood on his neck.

"Comes with the territory," Khan murmured, nicking his tongue with a fang and using the blood to seal the bite. He thoroughly cleaned the blood from Kirk's throat and smiled. "Wouldn't want to waste any."

"Yeah, you promised me that you'd fuck and suck me at the same time," Jim said, "and I'm keeping you to that." He stroked his hair and then tugged Khan into a kiss, putting a little more teeth into it than usual.

"Wouldn't dream of breaking my promise," Khan murmured, meeting Kirk's lips with equal intensity, though with less teeth involved. He didn't want to cut up his lips. He had plans for them.

Jim smoothed his hands over the strong planes of Khan's back and then tightened them on his strong shoulders. His talented mouth softened against Khan's, letting the vampire reclaim the lead without any shame. His left leg lifted to wrap tightly around Khan's hip, pushing his hard cock against his lover, through pants that were quickly becoming annoying.

Khan resumed command of the kiss when Kirk indicated he should. He growled low in the back of his throat and tugged at the waistband of Kirk's pants. 

"Oh, do you want those off?" Jim asked and wiggled his hips against Khan. "Hmmm?" He laughed and bit at Khan's lower lip.

"I'd prefer to have you naked, as I'm sure you know," Khan murmured. "Let's get undressed, shall we?"

Jim stretched out on the bed and sensually swayed back and forth, reaching down to undo his pants in a slow, teasing fashion. "Whatever you say," he purred at Khan.

Khan sat back to watch Kirk undress, raising his eyebrows. "Come on," he said. Kirk was lovely like this.

Jim allowed just a hint of his cock to peek out the top of his pants, as he undid the fly that kept his rather large endowment hidden. 'Getting impatient?" he asked, eyelids lowering. "Want to make me go faster?"

"Can you fault me for it?" Khan asked, tracing a finger over the little sliver of skin currently available for him to touch. 

Jim shivered and pressed up into the finger with a deep rumble of appreciation. "Fault you for it?" He lowered his eyes and his pants (although only a fraction more) at the same time and said, "I'm rather hoping it makes you a little more frantic, just that touch more wound up. I want the true, feral Khan."

"Do you really?" Khan asked, hooking his fingers in the waistband of Kirk's trousers. Kirk may think he did, but Khan was uncertain as to whether or not the man could really handle him.

Jim smiled again and pulled the zipper down that bit more, shimmying with Khan's hands to let the pants slide an inch over his hips, exposing a few blonde curls at his groin. "You're so careful with me. I feel honored, special, because of that."

Khan purred softly when Kirk removed his trousers. He dragged his fingers through the curls at the base of his cock and smirked. "Natural blonde," he teased. "You should; you are special in that regard."

"Then I invite you to treat me however you feel is best," Jim said and reached up a hand to him. "Please come down here with me."

Khan took Kirk's hand and stretched out beside him, nuzzling at his throat. He could smell him almost as strongly as when he'd drawn blood.

Jim arched his neck invitingly, still unafraid of the vampire. "I'd like to see the rest of you, too. You're not badly built at all." He tugged at Khan's hair.

Khan chuckled and sat back for a moment to undress, raising an eyebrow. "Better?" he asked, moving closer.

James smiles and eases himself around to face Khan's feet. With a wink, he bends to kiss down the strength of his flat abdomen, before licking teasingly over his erection. He moves away quickly though and nibbles at his strong thighs.

Khan purred softly, hands settling on Kirk's hips. "That's lovely," he murmured. He thoroughly enjoyed the attention; Kirk was fantastic. 

Jim lifted his head and looked over his shoulder with warm eyes, before turning his attention back to Khan's erection. He sucked at the head for a moment, before murmuring in as smooth a voice as he had (and that was pretty damn honeyed), "I like to serve you." His mouth sucked Khan back in after, working him expertly.

Khan groaned low in his throat, hips arching in response to Kirk's lips on his erection. "You do a bloody amazing job of it," he murmured. 

Jim hummed contentedly around his mouthful and then pulled off with a slick sound. He scraped his teeth over the very tip and then murmured, "Don't you wish you could keep me here to keep serving you?" 

Khan bit back a growl and shivered. Somehow, Kirk knew just the amount of pressure he could use. "Yes, I wish I could," he admitted. He didn't want to wish for that. It was something he could never have.

"Khan," Jim murmured and turned around to press against him from head-to-toe, before kissing him sweetly. "Do you want to be inside me?"

"Yes," Khan said, gently returning the kiss. That sounded... He couldn't believe the strength of want he felt. It was amazing. 

"How do you want me?" Jim asked and arched his neck to let Khan see his tempting jugular. "Would it be easier if I was on my stomach?" 

"No, it wouldn't be," Khan said, shaking his head. That was normally how he fed on his prey, back to front so as to avoid eye contact. He would feed anyway in order to survive, but he wasn't immune to feelings of guilt. He preferred not to look at his victims, and that was not what Kirk was. "On your back."

Jim looked at Khan for a long moment and then smiled softly, arranging himself in the most open way he could on his back. His eyes smoldered into Khan's, warm with lust and trust, mixed together. His head then turned slightly to the side, wanting to reinvite Khan to feed from him. "Here I am."

Khan settled down against Kirk, smile curling his lips. "Yes, here you are," he murmured. He could be careful with Kirk; the last thing he wanted was to hurt him when he was willing to make himself vulnerable like this. 

Jim turned his head back at the soft words and nipped softly at his lower lip. "What would you like to do to me?" he asked, rubbing his hands over Khan's strong back. "I want to hear you tell me."

"I want to fuck you," Khan murmured, nibbling at Kirk's neck. "I want to drink from you while I fuck you, my cock in you and your blood in me."

Jim groaned loudly and caressed Khan's dark hair, stroking through the soft locks and mussing them. He shivered at the feel of Khan's currently blunt teeth working the curve of his throat, knowing any minute they could turn sharp and deadly. He felt alive and oh so turned on by the notion. But- 

"Have to get me ready first, lover," he said, guiding one of Khan's hands between his legs. "That beautiful cock of yours is too big to just fit in dry. I need you to get me slick and open for it."

Khan nodded, sitting back on his haunches while he snagged the lube. He coated his fingers thoroughly and pressed one against Kirk's entrance. "How much do you need?" he asked softly. 

"Just enough to ease the way," Jim murmured and wiggled his ass enticingly against Khan's hand. "You're very well endowed, and I'd like to enjoy this." His eyes are at half-mast, the barest hint of blue peeking out, even as his tongue flicked over his lips in a come hither kind of way. "I want to be able to do this multiple times tonight."

"I'll make certain you enjoy yourself," Khan murmured as his finger eased in. He was determined to make Jim enjoy himself, and if that meant taking forever to prepare Jim, he would do it. 

"Make certain, eh?" Jim groaned with a push back into Khan's hand, letting him know that he was good so far. "That sounds very...caring of you. I like it." He tilted his hips invitingly. "Very much."

"Caring?" Khan raised an eyebrow. He didn't think of it as caring so much as greed. He wanted Kirk to remember this fondly, as one of the most pleasurable experiences he'd had. He twisted his finger slowly to open him up.

"No?" Jim asked around a gasp as his muscles eased open for those knowing, strong fingers. "Not caring? You intent on being evil to me then?" He groaned, low and long in his throat, head falling back, as Khan probed deeper.

"Not evil, no, but I wouldn't call it caring," Khan murmured, flexing his fingers carefully. "Would you rather have me evil?"

"Oh, yes," Jim said, as the fingers scraped over his prostate. "So, if you're not-fuck, right there, you glorious bastard!- caring and you're not- more, more, deeper, yes- evil, what are you then?"

"There isn't a word for what I am," Khan said, sliding his fingers deeper at Kirk's urging. Watching him like this was always a joy. He knew he would never want anyone else the way he wanted Kirk, and that was a frightening thing.

"Mmm, I can think of a few," Jim said and opened himself up even more for his vampire lover. "Give me another finger. Might be best to have three when I'm going to take you inside me."

"I think that would be wise," Khan agreed as he worked in another finger, curling them gently. Causing the man pain was definitely not what he wanted to do. He wanted Kirk to look back on this as one of, if not the, best night he'd spent with someone.

"You would," Jim purred and wiggled his ass against the probing fingers. He narrowed his eyes somewhat playfully at the vampire. "Take me on my knees, baby? Sink your fangs in my neck and suck my blood. Come on."

"You'll want to be well-stretched for that," Khan said, splaying his fingers wide. No matter how cautious he was, he could easily hurt Kirk, so it was better to take precautions now. 

"Cause of your ridiculous endowment," Jim agreed with a little flick of his tongue over his lips. "But I'm good. Let me up, handsome."

Khan nodded and gently withdrew his fingers, sitting back to let Kirk up. "There you are," he said. 

Jim climbed to his knees and then wrapped his arms around Khan's neck. He kissed him fiercely and fearlessly, rubbing against him as if to spread and join their scents with everything else. "I haven't forgotten that you want to see my eyes when you pierce my perfect ass with that huge cock of yours." He reached down to stroke the hard length, lavishing it with attention

Khan growled into the kiss, deepening it instantly as he felt Kirk's arms around him. There was a fearlessness in the kiss that he'd never experienced before. He made another rough sound, bucking into the man's hand, and offered him the lube. 

Jim took the lubricant and spread some over Khan's cock, careful and sure. He fell back to the bed and spread his legs wide in invitation. "I'm ready for you, lover. Take me." He stretched his arms over his head, displaying himself to Khan's hungry eyes. "Don't hold back on me, gorgeous."

Khan's grin was wicked. He clasped Kirk's hip in one hand, lining himself up with his entrance with the other, and pressed in with a low groan. 

Jim echoed the groan and wrapped a hand around the back of Khan's head, tangling in the soft hair. "Just push until you hit bottom," he purred, feeling no pain. Fuck, it was amazing, that's what it was.

Khan grinned. That was an order he would gladly follow. He sank in until he bottomed out, hissing softly at the urge to immediately start moving. 

Jim shifted a little into Khan and then made a noise of approval. "Yeah, you've got me good." He found Khan's eyes with his own, connecting their gazes and refusing to look away. "You can move when you're ready. But be slow and thorough. Make me feel it all the way from head to toe."

Khan nodded, rocking his hips slowly. Meeting Kirk's gaze like this was almost too personal and too intense, but he didn't look away. He didn't want to.

Jim tugged at Khan's hair and then cupped the back of his head, making sure to keep their eyes locked on each other. His body moved eagerly with Khan's, enjoying the depth and power of his thrusts. "Tell me, lover, how good is this for you?"

"Bloody amazing," Khan murmured. "You feel incredible. Hot and tight around me." The heat was what scrambled his brain. He hadn't felt anything like this in a long time. 

"Yes, I bet I feel hot around you," Jim murmured, stroking the cool flesh of his lover. "And I want to be tight. Give you as much pleasure as I can." He squeezed his channel deliberately around the intrusion into his body. "For as long as I can." 

Khan gasped at the sudden clench of muscles and bucked his hips. "Trust me, this is very good for me, Captain," he said, retaliating with a sharp surge against Kirk's prostate. 

Jim made a sharp noise of mixed pleasure and distress and locked his hands around the back of Khan's neck. "You are a literal pain in the ass, lover. What was that for?" 

"Testing your limits. Payback for your test of mine," Khan replied. 

"Payback?" Jim asked and caressed Khan's face, lifting himself to kiss that serious mouth. "Wasn't testing, lover. Was trying to make you feel good. You're too suspicious. Sex is for fun."

"It's in my nature to be suspicious," Khan admitted. He kissed Kirk deeply, humming against his mouth. He would try not to be suspicious and to just enjoy himself. 

"You wanted us to face each other," Jim reminded him softly, tugging Khan down to continue to share kisses. "You have control, lover. I'm not the one who can hurt you."

Khan nodded, nuzzling at Kirk's jaw. He was used to people trying to get the better of him. It was habit by now. "You're ingenious enough that you could hurt me if you wanted," he said, meaning it as a compliment. 

"But am I likely to?" Jim countered, thinking this was the oddest conversation he'd ever had in the middle of being fucked. And he'd had some weird ones.

"No, I don't think you are," Khan said softly. He doubted Kirk would ever hurt him unless he did something to deliberately provoke it.

"Good," Jim purred and stroked through his hair, before lifting his hips even more in offering. "Come on, then, lover. Show me how good you are."

Khan smiled and rocked his hips, nuzzling against the hand Kirk had in his hair. That was definitely a challenge, and he responded well to being challenged. It normally inspired him to do more than he'd previously thought himself capable of.

Jim moaned softly as Khan pressed against his prostate and then began to meet each of his thrusts with an equal move of his own. "There," he murmured, as their bodies suddenly clicked together into a rhythm. "Oh God, Khan." He dragged out the man's name in a low hum.

Khan made a low, rumbling sound of approval when they finally settled into a rhythm. It would be brilliant from there on out as long as he maintained the pace and angle. He grazed Jim's lips with his own, using a hint of teeth. He very much wanted to hear Kirk call out his name again.

"Fuck," Jim moaned and tugged lightly at Khan's hair. "Khan. Want your bite now. Please." He tilted his head in submissive offering.

Khan purred softly, kissing Kirk's throat softly before he sank his fangs in. The first spurt of blood made him shudder and groan.

"Yes, please, Khan!" Jim cried and bucked into his impalement, grabbing at his ass to encourage his thrusts. His other hand wrapped around the back of Khan's head, fingers clenching and releasing. "Oh, God, that's so fucking good. Love how that feels, you sucking me, drinking from me."

That was when it truly sank in that he was going to miss Kirk dearly. He would miss his enthusiasm. He quickened the pace but didn't dare thrust harder, not while he was also taking pulls of the man's blood. 

The combination of sensations was heady, though the dizziness may also have been caused by the blood loss. But fuck if Jim cared, not with the pleasure flooding him system, and Khan, Khan everywhere. "So good," he groaned. "Never been so good. Khan."

Khan gently retracted his fangs and nicked his tongue to seal the wound on Kirk's throat. He'd taken all he could safely take and didn't want to harm the man. He gently nipped the freshly healed mark, hips working faster.

Jim protested the loss of Khan's fangs and the lovely sensation of being drunk from with a low groan and a gentle pull on his hair. "Have to stop?" he asked, turning to seek out Khan's mouth.

"Unless you would like to be in danger of losing consciousness, yes," Khan said, meeting Kirk's lips eagerly, sharing the taste with him.

The coppery tang of his own blood was odd, but Jim licked into Khan's mouth without hesitation, tasting and testing everything. He pulled back to look into his eyes, still meeting each thrust of Khan's hips. "It wish you hadn't healed the bite though," he murmured. "I liked having that claim on me." He dipped his eyes, looking almost coy, and said, "And don't forget, we're not done after this."

"You were still losing blood," Khan murmured, kissing the spot. He wasn't going to risk having Kirk lose too much. It wasn't safe, and he wasn't done with him yet, not by a long shot. "Oh, I know we aren't."

Jim sighed half in regret and half in pleasure at the words and then stroked over Khan's mouth. "Will you tie me to the bed with silk ties, like we talked about?" he asked.

Khan purred softly and nibbled at Jim's shoulder. "Yes. Shall I stop now and fetch them?" he asked. He didn't have any silk ties. What he did have was a silk bathrobe that could be torn and repurposed. 

"Let yourself come inside me first," James said, "and make me come, too. Then, you can tie me up with whatever you want. Tease and please me until I'm hard and begging for you." He tightened his ass around Khan as much as possible.

The combination of Kirk's words and the sudden tightness around his cock was too much. Khan came with a growl, stroking Kirk faster in an effort to ensure he enjoyed himself just as much. "Fuck," he muttered, somewhat embarrassed by how quickly he'd come.

Jim lasted a few more rough strokes and spilled all over his fingers and between their bodies. "Khan! Fuck! Khan!" he cried shamelessly and arched into him as much as physically possible. 

Khan growled against Kirk's neck, fucking him through his climax, and slowed to a stop. That had been...quite enjoyable.

Jim loved the growling and shivered in response, even as his climax trailed off, leaving him a warm pie of goo in Khan's arms. "Be a good time to tie me up now," he said in a fucked out tone of voice. "I won't even be able to fight you."

Khan swore under his breath and withdrew, rolling out of bed to grab the tie off his belt. He snapped it in two and made quick work of securing Kirk's hands. "You wouldn't have fought me anyway," he said.

Jim laughed softly and said, "You might have enjoyed my kind of fighting." He tested the bonds and made a satisfied noise when they didn't give. "And my legs."

"I'm sure I would have, but I much prefer you as you are now," Khan said. He retrieved his robe and tore off another strip, binding Kirk's legs. "Perfect."

"Really?" Jim purred and tugged at the bonds on his arms and legs, satisfied when they held, but were not painful. He relaxed into the bed, body spread wide and helpless in the face of a powerful predator. His nerves thrummed with anticipation, and his tongue flicked out to lick his lips hungrily. "You much prefer me tied down and at your mercy, unable to lift a hand in my defense?" 

"I prefer you naked and in my bed. You may be unable to raise a hand in your defense, but say the word, and I will stop," Khan said. He stretched out beside Kirk, dragging his fingers along his inner thigh.

Jim's thigh quivered a little under the skilled touch, and he sighed once in pleasure. "You are always so considerate, my vampire. I know. I trust you. And right now, I am yours. To play with as you desire."

It was Kirk's unwavering trust that would be his downfall, Khan knew. The novelty of it, being held in such high regard when so many others had cowered in fear. "Shall I send you back to your ship covered in bruises, I wonder?" he mused aloud.

"I won't say no to that," Jim said with warmth in his eyes. "Especially the kind of bruises I think you will leave." He arched his body a little in offering, straining the bonds.

Khan grinned and settled on the jut of Kirk's hip, biting with blunt teeth, hard enough to bruise without breaking the skin.

Jim made a strangled noise and pushed up into the bite. "That will look nice," he said and wiggled his hips a little in a tease. "That the only place you want to use those teeth?"

"Perhaps. One bruise would stand out more than a sea of them," Khan teased. "Why? Have you any requests?"

Jim snorted and taunted the vampire a little, "Here I am, all tied up, and you're still letting me call the shots."

"Call the shots? Captain, you must be mistaken," Khan murmured. "I was merely asking for your opinion as far as the aesthetics of one bite versus many?"

"I bruise pretty," Jim purred back at him and looked up with burning eyes. "Real pretty."

"I can imagine so," Khan murmured, leaving a trail of bites along Kirk's ribs, keeping his fangs in check. He wanted to bruise, not draw blood.

"Fuck," Jim murmured, as Khan scraped over a particularly sensitive spot. "You want to bite, don't you?" he asked softly. "Want to taste my rich, warm blood over your tongue..."

"Always," Khan admitted. The craving never went away, not entirely. No matter how often he fed, he always wanted more whether or not he needed it. 

Jim groaned low in his throat at the word and arched up into Khan's mouth, as much as he could. "Fuck, Khan, don't stop. Please. Your fangs."

Khan couldn't refuse. He sank his fangs into Kirk's shoulder rather than his jugular, careful not to draw too much blood from the wound. He wanted it to feel good, not to cause harm.

Jim hadn't expected Khan to actually bite him and a rush of pure pleasure shot through his body, jolting right to his cock. He reached for Khan, except that he couldn't move his arms. Instead, his entire body thrummed as Khan sipped from the wound. "Fuck, I bet you'd like to keep me tied to the bed forever, your own fresh source of blood and sex."

Khan gently withdrew his fangs from the wound, dragging his tongue over it lightly. He didn't feel the need to heal that one right away since it wasn't bleeding heavily. It was just sort of trickling. "I would if you would let me," Khan admitted.

"I don't think Starfleet would approve," Jim said with a sigh of utter contentment, as Khan let the wound stay open and licked at it. "I want more of those, like we talked about."

"No, I don't imagine they would," Khan admitted. "How many shall I leave behind?" He grazed Kirk's chest with his teeth. 

Jim shivered at the sharp points scraping over his chest and pushed up a little to encourage them over the sensitivity of his nipples. "How many are safe?" he asked, voice husky with lust and desire for Khan.

Khan purred and grazed Kirk's nipples with his fangs. "I wouldn't risk more than three. I should probably stick to two."

"Khan," Jim moaned, pushing up helplessly. His nipples hardened and peaked under the attentions, and Jim wanted more. "How about there?" he breathed. "One right over a nipple. You can suck both my blood and my nipple at the same time. Fuck, please."

Khan's murmur of agreement was barely audible, a vibration more than anything, as he sealed his lips around Kirk's nipple, sinking his fangs into the skin above it. He selfishly hoped the bites would scar if he left them to heal on their own.

"Fuckfuckfuck," Jim breathed out in a rush and curled his fingers helplessly as the rush of pleasure flooded his groin. His legs tugged at their bonds, too, body jittering with delight. "Please, Khan!"

Khan took his time before drawing off again, enjoying a few small sips before he retracted his fangs and drew his nails along Kirk's inner thigh. "Please what?"

"Please don't stop, Khan!" Jim cried, as Khan drew away from his nipple. "Suck more. And harder. Please." 

Khan couldn't refuse such an adamant request. He lifted his head to steal a kiss, sharing Kirk's taste with him. Then he leaned down to draw his nipple back into his mouth, sucking harder.

Jim accepted Khan's tongue and the mingled flavors with happy murmurs and then threw back his head and cried out loudly when Khan sucked again. The mingled plain and pleasure was amazing, and he didn't want Khan to stop anytime soon. "So good," he panted. "Want you so bad, Khan. Want this. Everything. Fuck."

Khan was loathe to admit that he wouldn't be able to give Kirk everything. There wasn't time for that, but they had this. He was determined to enjoy it. He purred softly, teasing the nipple with a scrape of teeth.

Jim gasps and twists under the prick of potential pain and pleasure. He's helpless, tied down like this, and it makes him harden again swiftly. As do those lovely fangs of Khan's descending on him to tease and pleasure and feed. Fuck, James wants Khan to feed more. He loathes that he cannot give the vampire more of his blood.

"Look at you. You respond so well," Khan murmured, reaching down to stroke Kirk, the pressure light, barely there, serving as a strong contrast to the sharp prick of his fangs, as he raked them across the man's nipples.

Jim moaned, low and deep in his throat, and angled his body so that the fangs actually scraped him a little more. He threw back his head, again exposing his neck to the vampire, desire and willing submission both. "To you. For you," he said. "Please, give me more, Khan. I want more. Need more."

"Shh, I'm not going to deprive you," Khan said, nipping at the man's neck without breaking the skin. He tightened his hold on Kirk's cock, strokes speeding up without allowing the man enough that he could come.

"Already depriving me," Jim countered, whining softly at the teeth that don't give him the the bite he wants. He needed to feel those fangs in his neck again, Khan taking sustenance from Jim's body. That heady, thrilling knowledge that Khan's existence was prolonged by what Jim gave him freely.

"Kirk, don't be an idiot. I'm not sending you back to your ship suffering from blood loss," Khan said sternly. Oh, the irony of the vampire being the sane one. 

Jim moaned softly and said, "I wish I could give you more. Wish you hadn't drunk so fast. Fuck, it's as addicting to be drunk from as for you to drink. Doesn't seem fair that you have to stop so soon." He wiggled his fingers a little and asked, "May I have a kiss then? Show me how much you want me?" 

"I should have had more self-restraint," Khan admitted. Kirk's taste was so addictive that he hadn't been able to help himself. It was a bit embarrassing. Smiling, he moved up to capture Kirk's lips, kissing him eagerly.

Jim moaned into the kiss and opened his mouth to the persuasive tongue. He softened his own actions, letting the vampire lead and be the dominant. Straining against the bonds, he tried to offer more of himself to the vampire, give him what he wants.

Khan's purr rumbled low in his throat, as he deepened the kiss, plundering Kirk's lips. He could all but taste his obedience, and it was as heady a thing as his want. 

"Khan," Jim whispered into his mouth, the purr making him shiver from head to toe. "I want you to take what you want from me. Please. Show me how you treat what's yours." He arched up into the vampire's body, rubbing against him sensually.

Kirk didn't even know what he was asking for. Khan rubbed his hips against the other man's, breaking the kiss in order to lick along his pulse. He didn't beak the skin -- he was teasing. 

Jim made a pitiable noise as Khan licked without biting, causing his skin to tingle. His hips pressed up as much as they could into Khan's thrusts, but the bonds held his legs tight to the bed frame. He was helpless and exposed, and it made him burn even more with need and want for his vampire lover. "Please," he moaned, as Khan kept his silence, not answering his plea from before. "Show me. Tell me. Please. I want this. Want you. Can't you feel how much I need you?" He pressed up as far as the bonds allowed, the silk ties straining and biting into his flesh.

Khan moaned softly, kissing Kirk to stop his words. It was too much, too much for him to handle when he knew he would have to stay behind and let Kirk return to his crew. Breaking the kiss, he murmured, "Hush. There's no need to beg," and returned to sucking at Kirk's throat.

Jim swallowed his words at the soft command and arched his neck even more to promote the attentions there. He wanted Khan to feed more from him so badly and the pulses of that desire were clear in his wanton shifting against his lover. Still, he eventually fell back, tired from straining against the bonds and from the blood he's already given his vampire. "Khan," he whimpered softly, needing more from his lover, those knowing hands and lips everywhere. That strong cock inside him again, claiming and taking pleasure. 

"I don't want to shush you. I don't," Khan admitted. "But you keep asking for more when there's only so much I can give." He could give Kirk anything he wanted tonight, but only tonight. He slipped his fingers back behind Kirk's balls, circling his entrance lightly.

Jim pressed a little into those fingers, eyes warm as they looked into Khan's gentle expression. He could tell how badly the vampire wanted him, really desired to keep him bound there, tied to his bed, next to his side. He lifted his head to brush his lips over Khan's face and then let it fall back on the pillow again. His eyelids lowered to reveal only the barest slits of pupil and iris, body pliant under the vampire's touch, a signal he would take whatever was offered. 

Khan refrained from saying anything else. He was too liable to let his mouth run away from him right now, so he kissed Kirk and focused on kissing him while he stretched him, going slowly so he wouldn't cause anymore discomfort than what was to be expected.

Jim would have enjoyed listening to Khan's mouth run amok, not that he didn't enjoy the kisses, sucking his tongue and humming pleasure. He lifted his ass more into the fingers and pressed into them as much as possible. His fingers flexed into the open air, wanting to be wrapped around his lover, but the inability made him moan even more in desire and need. 

When Khan broke the kiss, he watched Kirk squirming and asked, "Shall I let you up?" Even as he spoke, he moved his fingers gently, spreading them so Kirk could adjust to being filled. He would let him out of his bonds if that was what he wanted.

Jim shook his head, cheeks flushing a little. "I like it," he said. "Like being tied here for your pleasure." He groaned as Khan spread him a little more with his fingers, though he thought he was loose enough already to take his lover inside of himself again.

Khan thought Kirk would accommodate him already, but he wanted to be careful with him just in case he wasn't as loose as he felt around his fingers. "I could keep you here for a solid month and never grow bored with you," he said softly.


End file.
